iStockUS President Donald Trump has threatened a 200% tariff on European wine, champagne and spirits if the European Union goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey.
The European tariff was expected to take effect on April 1.
Trump said in a social media post that the EU was “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.”
“If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the US will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER EU REPRESENTED COUNTRIES,” Trump said.
“This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the US,” Trump added.
The Republican president had signalled on Wednesday that he intended to take the action.
“Of course I will respond,” Trump told reporters during an Oval Office exchange.
Trump, in announcing the new steel and aluminium tariffs on Wednesday, openly challenged US allies and vowed to take back wealth “stolen” by other countries, and he drew quick retaliation.
He has separate tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, with plans to also tax imports from the European Union, Brazil and South Korea by charging “reciprocal” rates starting on April 2.
The EU announced its own countermeasures. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that as the United States was “applying tariffs worth 28 billion dollars, we are responding with countermeasures worth 26 billion euros”, or about 28 billion dollars.
These measures cover not just steel and aluminium products but also textiles, home appliances and agricultural goods.
Follow STV News on WhatsApp
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
