Trump threatens France and EU with 200% tariffs on wine and champagne

On Thursday, Donald Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on all alcohol from the European Union if the bloc did not reverse its "nasty" 50% tariff on U.S. whiskey.

The president specifically targeted France and its iconic champagne, along with wine, in his remarks. "This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.," he said.

The warning comes just after the EU announced plans to impose tariffs in response to those the United States implemented on steel and aluminum, set to take effect on April 1.

Following the announcement, French Foreign Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin took to X, stating that Trump was "escalating the trade war" and reaffirmed France's determination to "retaliate" alongside the European Union. "We will not bow to threats and will always protect our industries," he said.