President Donald Trump of the United States on Thursday said that he would put a 200 percent wine tariff on all wines and other alcoholic products coming out of the European Union if the bloc did not remove its tariff on whiskey.
Recall that the European Commission said on Wednesday that it would impose counter tariffs on 26 billion euros ($28 billion) worth of US goods from next month, ramping up a global trade war in response to blanket US tariffs on steel and aluminum.
According to the EU executive, it remained open to negotiations and considered higher tariffs in no one’s interest.
Trump raised the ante in a social media post on Thursday.
“The European Union, said to be 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, has just put a nasty 50% Tariff on Whisky.
“If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all wines, companies and alcoholic products coming out of France and other EU represented countries. This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the US,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Meanwhile, the European Commission said it would end its current suspension of tariffs on U.S. products on April 1 and that its tariffs will be fully in place by April 13.
