US President Donald Trump has threatened a 200% tariff on any alcohol coming to the US from the EU in the latest twist in an escalating trade war.
Trump made the threat in response to the EU’s plans for a levy on US-produced whiskey in retaliation for US tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports.
Trump called for the immediate removal of the EU’s tariff on US whiskey, calling the bloc “nasty”, “hostile and abusive”, and “formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States.”
Writing on Truth Social, Trump said the tariff – a new border tax on alcohol imports from the EU – would be “great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the US”.
A European Commission spokesperson said that “calls are being prepared” between between the US and the EU to discuss the situation.
It confirmed that its trade commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, had “reached out to his American counterparts” after Trump threatened retaliation against EU tariffs on Wednesday.
The latest threat marks a continued escalation of a trade war which has rattled financial markets amid concerns over the impact on the economies and consumers in many countries around the world, including the US, the BBC noted.
Earlier this month, he put 25% taxes on goods from Mexico and Canada, some of which he later suspended, and raised levies on Chinese imports into the US to at least 20%.
His action on steel and aluminium came into effect on Wednesday, imposing a blanket duty of 25% on imports and ending exemptions that the US had previously granted for shipments, including from the EU and Canada.
Trump has also threatened further tariffs, promising to unveil country-specific “reciprocal” tariffs next month, while floating new taxes on a range of more specific items, including copper, lumber and cars.
Leaders in Canada and Europe – which are among America’s biggest trade partners – have called the new taxes unjustified. They struck back with their own tariffs on a range of US products after the metals tariffs.
Trump had warned on Wednesday that he intended to respond.
In interviews with US business media on Thursday, White House officials blamed the EU for escalating the fight.
“Why are Europeans picking on Kentucky bourbon or Harley-Davidson motorcycles? It’s disrespectful,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Bloomberg Television, describing the back-and-forth as “off the topic”.
PS Greek ouzo will be very expensive in the USA. But who drinks ouzo over there?
Since Canada has pulled American wines and spirits, I’m sure we’d be happy to take more European wines. And Canadian whiskey and Scotch wins global awards anyway. So does our icewine.
Well, we have a mad man with bad temper in the White House nowadays!! HE started the trade “war” with his tariffs. I hope the Canadians stuck to their tariffs on electricity, that will (sadly enough) hurt the american people but the only way to stop the mad man is that his people says NO and enough!! How could the american people elect such a lunatic?? Megalomania are ruling the world right now, both in the west, east and south! Sad to see how a few wounerable egos can ruin both trade and peace!!!
What ever happened to: Live and let live……..???????
“But who drinks ouzo over there?”
Have you ever been to a café in Queens?
Indeed, in Queens….and in Chicago, as well. There is actually one US producer of Ouzo in Florida(owned by guys originally from Greece, no less, so some sense of “quality” compared to non-Greeks making it). But their production is not even close to covering the demand.
Also, a recent revival in an obscure cocktail from the 1970s…….The “Black Russian” has been around for many decades…..there is the “Black Greek” which similarly uses Kahlua, but has Ouzo instead of Vodka.
Trump is deluded if he thinks Champagne can be produced in the US !
You could stop at your first three words. Trump has no idea about anything — whether it be economic issues (such as tariffs), real-world issues such as food and wines, legal issues such as the importance of a Constitution for holding a country together, and political issues such as the separation of powers (which he violently opposes). Basically, the USA has elected for the second time a poorly-educated moron with severe personality disorders bordering on psychopathy and now with obvious signs of senile dementia.
Arguably, he is the least qualified person in the whole USA to hold the post of president: this says much about the IQs and educational levels of the population of the USA (and especially those in the Republican party).