I could be reading it wrong, but your post came across as overly combative and an appeal to whataboutism. I'd say both are protectionist and both are wrong. My

I could be reading it wrong, but your post came across as overly combative and an appeal to whataboutism. I'd say both are protectionist and both are wrong. My interpretation of your parent was simply that it is protectionist of France to be doing this (and I'd argue that makes it as wrong as the American protectionism that you brought up).