US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose 200 per cent tariff on wine, champagne, and other alcoholic beverages imported from France and other European Union (EU) countries, escalating a trade dispute over tariffs on American whiskey.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Thursday, Trump warned, “If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the US will shortly place a 200 per cent Tariff on all wines, champagnes & alcoholic products coming out of France and other EU represented countries.”
He added that such a move would benefit the wine and champagne industry in the US.
Trump’s remarks follow the European Commission’s decision on Wednesday to impose a 50 per cent tariff on American whiskey, as part of a broader response to US tariffs on steel and aluminum, CNN stated.
The EU also announced plans to introduce counter-tariffs worth €26 billion ($28 billion) on various US goods starting next month, according to Reuters.
Trump called the EU’s tariff on American bourbon “nasty”.
Trump, who has long criticised EU trade policies, described the bloc as “one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World, which was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States.”
