President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to impose a 200% tariff on alcohol products from France and other European countries.
The tariff threat comes after the European Union plans to move ahead with a proposed tariff on American whiskey.
“If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES. This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.”, Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The president’s threat comes after the European Commission on Wednesday said it will impose counter tariffs on 26 billion euros ($28 billion) worth of U.S. goods exports in response to Trump’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
French Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin responded to Trump’s post on Thursday, saying the country will protect its industries.
President Trump “is launching the escalation in the trade war he chose to start,” Saint-Martin said in a post on X that was translated to English. “France remains determined to respond with the European Commission and our partners.”
President Donald Trump’s tariff threat comes after the European Union plans to move ahead with a planned tariff on American whiskey. (Photo by: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“The countermeasures we take today are strong but proportionate,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement.
“Our countermeasures will be introduced in two steps. Starting with 1 April and fully in place as of 13 April. In the meantime, we will always remain open to negotiation.”
EU wine exports to the United States were worth 4.9 billion euros last year, according to EU statistics agency Eurostat. That was 29% of the EU’s overall exports of wine. Of the EU exports to the United States, France made up almost half and Italy almost 40%.
