Trade Escalation: Trump Threatens France and the EU with Heavy Tariffs on Wine and Spirits

Tariff Threats in Response to European Measures

Trade tensions between the United States and the European Union are intensifying. On Thursday, March 13, 2025, Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs of up to 200% on European wines, champagne, and other alcoholic beverages in response to a new measure from Brussels. The EU had announced 50% tariffs on American whiskey as retaliation for the 25% tariffs imposed by Washington on steel and aluminum.

On his social network Truth Social, the American president justified this countermeasure by denouncing what he called “abusive” European tariff practices. He even hailed the measure as good news for the U.S. wine and spirits industry.

Deep Concern in the European Wine Sector

This escalation has deeply worried industry players. The French Federation of Wine and Spirits Exporters expressed their frustration at the repeated targeting of the beverage trade in broader geopolitical disputes. Meanwhile, the European lobby Spirits Europe voiced its “profound disappointment” and “extreme concern,” noting that these tensions arise in an already fragile market environment.

This is not the first time Donald Trump has wielded tariffs against European products. In 2019, he imposed a 25% tariff on certain French wines. Today, producers are calling for de-escalation, urging Brussels and Washington to shield their industry from geopolitical rivalries.