Former French president, Francois Hollande has called for sanctioning of Elon Musk’s companies including slapping US goods with retaliatory tariffs if Donald Trump is tough on Europe following his re-election.

Hollande, who led France from 2012 to 2017 and was in office during Trump’s first stint in the White House, said the president-elect does not value America’s historical partnership with Europe and urged the EU to do what is necessary to get his respect.

‘To Donald Trump, the EU is not even a partner. It is just an entity that must be responsible for its own security, that must make its own efforts to invest in the US if it so wishes. 

‘We do not count in his vision, as unpleasant as it may seem,’ he told MailOnline.

‘If (Trump hits the EU with tariffs) there should be a reciprocal reaction – we could target Elon Musk through sanctions on his companies… We must show that we can fight back if the US refuses European goods to circulate.’

He went on to claim that ‘Elon Musk is effectively the Vice President of the US, he may even be the President – although Trump might not know that yet’.

Hollande, who was re-elected as an MP for France’s socialist party this summer and could potentially make a second bid for the presidency in 2027, also said Europe must be ready to pick up the slack if Trump withdraws support for Ukraine in its ongoing war against Russia. 

He made the remarks during an event hosted by British university King’s College London earlier this month.

Hollande also said the EU could be harmed by Trump’s economic policies and argued European leaders must be prepared to fight for their respect from the White House if the soon-to-be 47th US President presses ahead. 

‘The US is focused on China – it is their opponent on an economic level,’ Hollande said. 

‘As we know duties will go up when Trump gets into office to slow or even stop imports. But the EU is a collateral victim of this.’