French tycoon begins ‘boycott’ of U.S. with his brand-new fleet of Tesla cars: “Now it’s over.”

Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency has created not just a political storm, but also an economic one. His recent trade policies, including tariffs on countries like Canada, China, and the European Union, have caused widespread reactions.

For the EU, these tariffs stand at 25%, leading European authorities to retaliate with tariffs on American products like Levi’s jeans. However, some are taking individual action. In France, nearly 70% of citizens are willing to boycott U.S. products, according to a recent Ipsos survey.

One French businessman leading the charge is Romain Roy, CEO of Groupe Roy, a company specializing in solar energy solutions. He has decided to cut ties with Tesla, after years of collaboration with Elon Musk, who serves as a senior advisor to Trump.

“For four years, we almost had a contract with Tesla, as they offered the best value for money. That’s over now. I don’t want a single euro from my company to enrich that man,” Roy declared. He has since canceled his order of 15 Tesla vehicles that was placed months ago.

European manufacturers benefit from the split

This shift in vehicle supplier will cost Roy more, as he admits the alternative options cost around €10,000 more per car. This adds up to an extra €150,000, which he calls “a deliberate choice”. Moving forward, he states, his company will only buy cars made in France or Europe.

Although this decision presents a significant financial loss, Roy believes he has no other option given the excesses of the new U.S. administration and the “outrageous comments” of Elon Musk. In his view, Europe is the world’s leading economic power, and he says he fails to understand U.S. policies.