Whether Chablis, Sancerre, or Pomerol, French wine is better than American wine.

But President Trump is right to threaten tariffs over a French tax on U.S. technology companies. Trump explained his position on Twitter.

France just put a digital tax on our great American technology companies. If anybody taxes them, it should be their home Country, the USA. We will announce a substantial reciprocal action on Macron’s foolishness shortly. I’ve always said American wine is better than French wine! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 26, 2019

Don't get me wrong, I support free trade. But free trade must flow both ways. In turn, the U.S. cannot sit idle when other nations take unfair advantage of American companies. And tariffs offer a rough but effective tool to force reconsideration of unfair actions.

Such is the case with France's technology tax.

That tax is extraordinarily unfair in its undue impact on U.S. technology firms such as Amazon, Facebook, and Google. Protecting French technology firms by targeting higher-earning U.S. firms, France is punishing American firms for being better. It's an attack on the American economy in protectionist benefit of France's struggling socialist economy. France must know that it cannot act unfairly against America and expect us to simply sit back and smile.

Hopefully President Emmanuel Macron will reconsider his tax. France is a close U.S. ally, and both our nations have a vested interest in expanded trade and cooperation. But trade must be fair and free. Whether abroad or at home, U.S. technology firms are a crown jewel of our economy. As in this case, they deserve protection.