Trump threatens 200% tariff on French wine and different alcohol from Europe in newest commerce warfare escalation
President Donald Trump has vowed to escalate his unprovoked trade war by unilaterally imposing taxes on Americans’ purchases of alcoholic beverages imported from European Union countries if the 27-member bloc dares retaliate against Trump’s decision to tax other imports by imposing a similar tariff on American-made whiskey.
In an early-morning post on his Truth Social platform, Trump falsely claimed that the E.U. — which originated as a customs union to strengthen intra-continental ties in the wake of the Second World War — was “formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States” and called the body “one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the World.”
Trump said a 50 percent tariff on Kentucky Bourbon imposed by the E.U. as a result of his decision to place 25 percent import taxes on American purchases of EU imports including automobiles — was “nasty” and demanded it be rescinded “immediately” lest he force Americans to pay a 200 percent tax on “all wines, champagnes, [and] alcoholic products coming out of France and other E.U. represented countries.”
The president added that the 200 percent surcharge on any imported alcohol would be “great for the wine and champagne businesses in the U.S.” even though there is no champagne business in the United States because champagne is produced exclusively in the French region of the same name.
In a separate post a short time later, Trump repeated his false claim about the European Union’s history while attacking the Wall Street Journal for editorializing against his unprovoked trade war against American allies. He accused the broadsheet of being “owned by the polluted thinking of the European Union, which was formed for the primary purpose of ‘screwing’ the United States of America” and claimed the U.S. will soon “win on everything” because “tariff-related money is pouring into the United States.”
He later added that the “entire world is ripping us off” because the United States has “stupid trade” rather than “free trade.”
The possibility of a 200 percent federal surcharge on any American’s purchase of wine or other alcohol coming from Europe could indeed drive consumers to purchase American-made wines for their consumption, cooking and entertaining.
If such a tax is imposed, the resulting windfall to American wineries could boost the bottom line of at least one member of Trump’s own family.
In 2011, Trump’s middle son, Eric Trump, purchased the Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard in Albemarle County Virginia and renamed it as the Trump Winery in 2012.
The 227-acre facility is the largest vineyard in Virginia by acreage and produces approximately 36,000 cases of wine per year.
Last year, the vineyard expanded its’ offerings to include ciders produced by the eponymously-named Trump Cidery.
The Trump-branded property’s products are generally well-regarded, with one 2014 sparkling wine offering winning its’ category in the 2020 San Francisco International Wine Competition.
Source: independent.co.uk
