President Donald Trump escalated tensions in an ongoing trade dispute with the European Union (EU), threatening to impose a staggering 200% tariff on European wine, champagne, and spirits.
This bold move comes as a direct retaliation to the EU’s proposed 50% tariff on American whiskey, set to take effect on April 1.
The announcement, made via a social media post on Thursday morning, marks a new chapter in Trump’s aggressive trade war strategy, drawing widespread attention and mixed reactions from news outlets across the globe.
According to the Associated Press (AP News), Trump’s threat was sparked by the EU’s planned tariff, which itself was a countermeasure to earlier U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imposed by the Trump administration.
“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,” Trump wrote, adding optimistically, “This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.”
The AP noted that Trump had signaled his intent to act as early as Wednesday, March 12, during an event with Ireland’s Prime Minister Micheál Martin at the White House.
The Chicago Tribune echoed this timeline, reporting that Trump’s social media outburst followed his Wednesday comments to reporters in the Oval Office, where he declared, “Of course I will respond.”
The Tribune emphasized Trump’s framing of the EU as “one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World,” a sentiment he used to justify his retaliatory stance.
This rhetoric underscores Trump’s long-standing narrative of protecting American industries from what he perceives as unfair foreign trade practices.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post provided context for the EU’s initial move, noting that the 50% tariff on American whiskey was a response to the U.S.’s steel and aluminum tariffs, which have strained transatlantic relations.
The Post highlighted the potential economic fallout, suggesting that a 200% tariff on European alcohol could drastically increase prices for consumers in the U.S., while also threatening the livelihoods of European producers, particularly in countries like France and Italy, renowned for their wine and spirits industries.
CNN offered a broader perspective, pointing out that Trump’s tariff threat aligns with his campaign promises to bolster domestic industries.
The network quoted Trump’s assertion that such a move would benefit American wine and champagne businesses, though it raised questions about whether U.S. producers could quickly fill the gap left by European imports.
CNN also noted the timing—coming just weeks before the EU’s April 1 deadline—suggesting that Trump’s threat might be a negotiating tactic to pressure the EU into backing down.
Fox News took a more supportive tone, framing Trump’s threat as a decisive stand against European overreach.
The outlet emphasized his Wednesday remarks and portrayed the potential tariff as a win for American sovereignty and economic self-reliance.
“This is Trump playing hardball,” a Fox commentator remarked, reflecting the outlet’s alignment with the president’s trade policies.
In contrast, The New York Times adopted a critical lens, questioning the feasibility and long-term consequences of such a drastic tariff.
The Times argued that while Trump’s base might cheer the move as a defense of American interests, it risks igniting a broader trade war that could harm U.S. exporters, including those in the whiskey industry already targeted by the EU.
The paper also pointed to the ripple effects on American consumers, who could face tripled prices for popular European beverages like Bordeaux wine and Prosecco.
Across the Atlantic, European leaders have yet to formally respond, but the BBC reported growing concern among EU officials and industry leaders.
French winemakers, in particular, expressed alarm over the potential loss of the lucrative U.S. market, with one trade representative calling Trump’s threat “catastrophic” for an industry already grappling with climate challenges and shifting consumer trends.
As reported by multiple outlets, including Reuters, the tit-for-tat tariffs trace back to broader U.S.-EU trade disputes, with both sides leveraging iconic products—whiskey for the U.S., wine for Europe—as pawns in a high-stakes economic chess game.
Reuters underscored the urgency of the situation, noting that Trump’s “immediately” deadline leaves little room for diplomatic maneuvering before the EU’s April 1 tariff kicks in.
