Trump Threatens 200% Tariff on French Wine, EU Alcohol
One X user: “Trump should dress up like an American Revolutionary and dump a bottle of Dom Perignon into Boston Harbor.”
President Donald Trump threatened to place a 200% tariff on French wine and European Union alcohol after the EU said it would place tariffs worth $28.33 billion on American goods.
“We deeply regret this measure [by the U.S.]. Tariffs are taxes, they are bad for business and worse for consumers, they are disrupting supply chains, they bring uncertainty for the economy, jobs are at stake, prices are up and nobody needs that, neither side needs that,” said European Commission’s President Ursula von der Leyen.
Trump wrote on Truth Social:
The European Union, 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, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES. This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.
I would pay to see this:
Trump should dress up like an American Revolutionary and dump a bottle of Dom Perignon into Boston Harbor. https://t.co/6lnlflfSUf
— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) March 13, 2025
From CNBC:
Data from the European Commission, the executive arm of the EU, said the bloc had a trade surplus of 155.8 billion euros with the U.S. for goods in 2023, but ran a 104 billion euro deficit on services. Overall, EU-U.S. trade in goods and services in 2023 was worth 1.6 trillion euros, according to the EU.
Machinery and vehicles make up the largest chunk of EU exports to the U.S. by product group, followed by chemicals, other manufactured goods and medicinal and pharmaceutical products.
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Comments
Like cancer treatment; short-term pain for long term fiscal health.
A presidential term is 4 years, a congressional term is 2 years.
Canada by the way is our number one customer.
And?……….
Canada was set for a an election landslide for the Conservatives. Then Trump intervened with his tariffs. Trump screwed the pooch — again.
No, it wasn’t, and the Conservatives in Canadia aren’t the same thing as conservatives in America.
It’s a parliamentary system and there would be no “landslide”. The Justina replacement has never been elected for anything. Technocrat.
Ridiculous. Your post absolves the Canadian voters of the consequences of their own (uninformed) vote.
At some point in our lives our nation asks us to sacrifice for the greater good, and there is no greater service than to your fellow man.
And as a Bombay Sapphire martini drinker, apparently the time has come for me to come to the aid of my fellow Americans. Cheers!
“Ask not what your country can import for you – ask what you can do with domestic products in your country”
There is plenty of good wine here. And we have countries we have better tariff relations with that would gladly fill up the gap from France.
Surprisingly some very good wines out of California…surprising in the sense that they appear lucky to have any water to use at all!!
Some animals are more equal than others.
While we’re at it, suspend any compliance we do for EU branding like names for cheeses, other foods, and drinks? Aren’t they big on protecting domestic production of goods by banning things like Champaign that isn’t made in the right province and such?
Probably not worth the hassle as protected name status, or what ever its called, is applied to more than just french fizzy alcoholic water
They don’t ban the product, just its use of the name. It’s not much different than standard trademark protection.
How about?
“Not Champaign. All the fizz without the fuss!”
We should at least spell it correctly.
No, if you misspell it, it’s even harder for them to sue you.
America has trademark protection to which requires European companies to label their products accordingly.
.
We also ban plenty of European products with no good reason.
Have another absinthe, Danny.
“Domestically produced Champaign-food Product”
I’ll just keep buy Aussie wine…and maybe South African.
US wines win plenty of contests. If OZ and ZA go nuts, look to South America. Malbec anyone?
It seems to me that we should not patronize South Africa as long as they continue to promote terror against both white farmers and Middle east terrorists.
Yuove to go wonder who the EU, and Canada, and others are taking their economic advice from to think its a great idea to head down a tariff war route INSTEAD of working with America to make trade between the two regions easier.
I suspect a lot of the people “advising” the EU elites are only doing so because of their hatred of Trump instead of being sane, rational grown ups.
They are pushing back in reaction to tariffs placed on them.
I do not care about if European economies crash resulting in a backlash agaisnt European leftists right now I care if the American economy crashes resulting in a backlash against the right in America right now.
I hope this is a negotiation tactic because we are going to all be in for a rough economy if it isn’t.
Their tariffs long preceded ours. They are simply resisting the levelling of a long unbalanced playing field.
If one is forced to buy good on tariff list, that is one thing… to discretionary purchases aren’t..
See, this is the part where sane, rational adults need to be involved in discussions.
Trump is reacting to the one sided trade between the EU and America and you haven’t even got a clue the shit was happening to American produce long before Trump was on the scene.
Much of the tarrifs imposed on US produce and done to protect EU companies from competition and that’s not how free trade is supposed to work
Either the EU needs to sort its shit out and open up or it’s going to get bent over an apple cart and rogered good and hard
But the Canadian deal was exactly the one Trump wrote and I thought it was a good deal.
I fully agree use tariffs as leverage.
This does not seem to be that Trump is discussing tariffs as being good in and of themselves as a permanent thing.
Do you actually think French Champagne is the reason why Detroit is in ruins?
People who worked hard for their money are more than entitled to be furious when that money is burned away because of a vision of autarky.
Chicago and Detroit are not coming back
South Carolina produces a lot more than it ever did under any prior period of American history
Same with North Carolina
Same with Texas
Same with actually all of the well run states
Standard of living in Mississippi by any metric dwarfs the 1950s-80s
Nostalgia makes people blind.
FAFO
“Trump should dress up like an American Revolutionary and dump a bottle of Dom Perignon into Boston Harbor.”
The Gulf of America, rather. Suckup Bostonians would be diving into the harbor for a swallow.
Back in the 1980s, a water main broke in a neighborhood in North Providence, RI. City officials started bringing tankers full of water to the neighborhood so residents would have access to clean water for various uses during the time it took to replace the broken main. Rhode Islanders, hearing that water was was being distributed in that neighborhood, went there to get “free water.” At the time, water rates in RI were dirt cheap, but Rhode Islanders couldn’t resist an opportunity to get something “for free” that they could get for little expense from their own taps.
So your prediction isn’t terribly far-fetched.
They probably thought Mineral Spring water had magical properties.
A forecast of tropical storm.
A Cumberland Farm.
A gallon of milk, a loaf of bread, a package of TP.
I miss my Rhode Island rituals.
Moronism of the day. He’s like clockwork. LAFFRIOT.
And people wonder why the Dow is tanking.
Duuh- cuz the country is being run by an uniformed buffoon whose ‘policies’ reflect 5 minutes thought and boil down to what will get the most hoots and hollers from the boogerpicks at a MAGA rally.
“uniformed buffoon”
Coming from you, that’s rich.
I picture Junio’s uniform as involving oversized shoes, overalls, and a nose that goes beep.
Truthfully, he’s sitting in his soiled pj’s in his mom’s basement, wanking away in front of his computer as he copy/pastes the words “moron” laffriot” and “MAGA”.
An expert moron.
GFY Bozo
Look, it is none of my business but as a concerned fellow citizen I think it is high time you demanded a window seat in that clown car. Mind you be careful not to breathe in any exhaust fumes. Lord knows your brain cells don’t need that kind of trouble.
Hey speaking of clown cars – did you see where the orange harvey weinstein was hawking tesla’s on the wh lawn the other day? If that didn’t you douchechills….well –
Yer in the cult so it probably didn’t . Laffriot
Mental masturbation. You like it. It’s useless, but you do it because it makes you feel good.
Is douchechills a proper noun? Is it permissible to use in Scrabble? I do so find stretching my vocabulary a pleasant pastime. Thanks so much for your contribution to doing so.
Original intelligence classifications, where should we place you?
Borderline Deficiency (IQ 70-80),
Moron (IQ 50-69),
Imbecile (IQ 20-49),
Idiot (below 20)
Check the mouse in his pocket for a pulse.
The “Orange Harvey Weinstein”?
Really?
So… You’ve noticed Literal Hitler ain’t working for you’all – considering both that Real Fascists want More Govt and Trump & Elon want Less Govt –
And the folks ain’t buying the LH crap as much any more –
So HW is your new Worst Person Evah?
One big difference is even if you believe the crazy lady with a history of false accusations whose story of Trump molesting her changed over time and depended entirely just on her testimony – and I don’t – Mr. W, just like Mr. Polanski, still had Liberals tripping over each other to hang out with and defend his Right to Perv well after the facts were well known.
So the Dow tanking only counts if an (R) is president?
The (revised) figures for last 2 quarters inflation have just been released, as normal they had to be revised upwards for the 3rd quarter because it had been under-estimated since- a (D) was running for re-election, and revised downwards for the 4th quarter because Bad Man Orange since they’d ever-estimated that quarter in the panic over the results of literally Hitler bad man orange winning the election. You know, the guy Obama was sharing jokes with at the Carter State Funeral.
With Biden / who-the-heck-knows in charge it was above 4%, post election it dropped to ~2%.
As for “5 minutes thought”, even if your premise is correct (which, as usual, it’s not) that would look to be 5 more minutes of thought than with the “Vegetable-In-Chief”.
What was the dow when the vegetable in chief took over ? What was it when the felon in chief took over? What is now? Before you embarass yourself- i know the answer to all 3
I upvoted you merely to break in and say “Ha! Fooled Ya!” and support every single negative comment towards you with no need for an echo chamber to reflect your sheer disintegrity of intelligence.
My good chap, it appears you had best be on your way as you have already disobeyed the First Rule of Holes.
Not playing the stock market, I really don’t care what the momentary Dow is doing, I know it goes up and down like a yo-yo and is designed to let those In The Know (like federal politicians, their families, and aides) make millions without fear of prosecution for insider trading.
My major concerns are….
(1) Inflation – the invisible tax we all pay so the govt can continue to spend money it doesn’t have. And…
(2) The govt spending money it doesn’t have – I’m retired with a state pension and SSI – so WHEN the govt goes belly up if I’m still alive I’m screwed on both. Currently 13% of spending goes to pay interest on our debt. It goes up every year. When I was young (and stupid, like you TJ) I went crazy on credit cards for a few years before I realized I was in a hole and digging myself deeper. So I stopped digging. Now the govt is in a hole, every year also spends more money it doesn’t have, and the amount paid for NO return to pay the interest goes up every year. Then you could spend paragraphs about unfunded govt pensions, SSI, and benefits we can’t afford once (say) 50% of spending is interest payments – for no return. This is NOT sustainable. If you have any kids or grandkids or even nieces/nephews you care about – what Trump & Elon are trying to do will save their futures. If you’re old like me you COULD gamble you’ll be gone when the bill comes due and say fark the kids. If you’re short sighted and/or a selfish piece of shite.
Yet his threat two days ago, to increase tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, had the immediate effect of causing a power company in Canada to cancel its plans to increase the cost of electricity to American customers.
I guess they’re idiots in Canada for allowing themselves to be cowed by a “buffoon.” Or they realized the buffoon is in charge of the country with the highest GDP in the world, and that it’s therefore important to react appropriately when he makes threats to your economy. As buffoons go, he’s being quite effective.
Why do you cheerlead for America’s failure? Because that’s what you’re doing when you cheerlead for Trump’s failure. If your side thinks he will fail (because he’s a buffoon), why don’t they just let him fail? Answer: They don’t think he’ll fail. They’re afraid he’ll succeed. And if he does, a Dem won’t sit the the Oval Office for another 11 years or so. So the Dems must root for Trump’s (and America’s) failure for their thirst for power. These are the types of people you support.
An uniformed buffoon”
You sound like an uniNformed buffoon
Is that what it is when you post? A ‘moronism’?
I mean, far be it from me how you choose to describe yourself, Laffriot, but surely you don’t think you’re anywhere near as intelligent as a moron.
He is probably an Imbecile (IQ 20-49)
Somewhere you are depriving a village of its idiot
Better get your Irish whiskey for Patty’s Day locked down.
St. Paddy’s Day, if you don’t mind.
Better buy a couple extra bottles of scotch whisky today.
These are EU tariffs. Several years ago, the US & UK reached some kind of agreement to remove retaliatory tariffs on liquor sales; we were taxing their spirits and they were taxing our wines. Those have been ended or reduced to almost nothing now. It was one of the benefits to Brexit.
One way to bring the EU down a few notches is one I have been touting for years: review the tax deductions for leased vehicles. How many Mercedes Benz, Range Rover, Jag-You-Ahh, Audi, etc SUVs are written off as a business expense because wifey is a “vice president” of the husband’s company?
Take away that tax deduction and see the demand for those vehicles shrink to practically nothing. And who will the Germans or Brits sell those monster gas-hogs to in their native land?
I thought the EU never met a tax they didn’t like.
The trade war at this point along with the overdone joke about taking over Canada has up to this point been a complete catastrophe.
Canada is politically turning to the left as a direct backlash.
The act of an unprovoked trade aggression on Canada a country fully aligned with the United States on foreign policy and that has been faithful to the trade agreement Trump made for them is hurting the United States diplomatically everywhere.
There is no upside to this trade war.
It was already far left when the majority of Canadians agreed with crushing the Truckers even though eventually ruled an illegal government action. Unprovoked “aggression” when asking for the same tariff levels as Canada places on US? Standard of living is decreasing in Canada before this… average income is less than Americans living in Mississippi.
No it had a lame duck leftist administration that was heading towards total destruction in the elections.
Canada was on track to vote the bastards out before Trump invented a trade war. The conservatives held dozens of point lead everywhere in Canada.
May I suggest listening to the “Niche Canadian”…Mark Steyn to get the correct information? “Conservative” politicians are lost somewhere “North of 60”. (good Canadian TV drama… that also bashed the US a little).
And yet, they get on their knees and kiss Trumps ass.
It just pisses you off that America won’t bend to other nations. Those nations get to call their own shots, they get to press their own self-interest, and you get a pain in your ManGyna when the President is doing exactly what we voted for.
I don’t give a flying fuck about pouty pussies, inside the US or out.
Canada can kiss off. They need us more than we need them. I can’t find a damned thing in my house that has a “Made in Canada” tag on it.
And by the way, Trump pushes your buttons and those of the dimwits up north every time he calls them the 51st state. We wouldn’t have them. Liberals!
Even the so-called conservatives are liberals.
AMERICA lost money
AMERICA
AMERICA lost money
The AMERICAN economy weakened
The CONSERVATIVES against wokeness are losing to Trump’s rhetoric.
The conservatives had a landslide coming there way then Trump showed up with 51st state rhetoric and offended Canada.
I am sorry you are too big a xenophobe to want a prospering AMERICAN economy or an anti-globalist to win the Canadian elections.
But you and it seems a lot of the people who comment here really do not love America.
You are no patriot if you want America to suffer which you clearly do.
Argue with the fucking stock market you little asshole because BUSINESS determines what is a good economic policy and guess what?
THE MARKET HATES THIS.
Canada was operating under the rules TRUMP WROTE in his first term.
If you thought Trump fucked up trade you are a sociopath because I happen to know you picked him in primary to what fuck it up again?
Calm down, son. You’ll have a coronary, which will deprive us of your witty repartee.
I think sometimes Trump needs to fully think out some of what he says. His comments about making Canada a state certainly qualify for such precaution.
He’s clearly taking the piss
The fact you can’t work that out says more about you than Trump taking the piss out of the 51st State of America 
I understand that. Does not mean it was a good idea for him to do so.
Good idea bad idea
Helping leftists win the Canadian elections good idea bad idea?
I thought based on what the professor reports here in LI about Canada everyone here would think that is a bad idea but this thread very clearly establishes at least among the people who comment (which is what 15 people out of the tens of thousands who read the professors blog?) it is a wonderful idea we need Canada to stay woke
President Trump might gain more support from among the left by calling them Counter-Tariffs. In virtually every case he is proposing or establishing tariffs in response to foreign tariffs on American goods.
It’s not a secret. But it still doesn’t keep the hysterical TDS-inflicted from freaking out and acting like we are punishing innocent nations (we aren’t) that are embracing free trade with the US (they aren’t).
This is an excellent idea. I’ve heard Trump and his surrogates properly describe them as reciprocal tariffs. But honestly, there probably isn’t a shortage of people who won’t know what ‘reciprocal’ means. Counter-tariff is more straightforward.
Frenchy Jean Laffitte du Snark seems to have forgotten why France is famous for wine and not beer.
I think it has something to do with the reign of terroir.
I get it.
Why not tit for tat? Whatever their tariffs are, that’s what we will place on their products. If it’s a VAT, we will place a tariff for the amount of that tax. How can they complain with that deal?
Not all tariffs are mirror versions, for example there’s stuff France imports that they tariff to protect their domestic production – but country X doesn’t import the same stuff so a tariff on the exact same stuff for the exact same levels imported to X could be negligible in comparison.
Also other means exist to more quietly wage trade wars. Canada heavily subsidized their domestic lumber industry so our lumber couldn’t compete on price – which was a major reason the American lumber industry went away. That, and eco-terrorism like boobytrapping lumber trees with metal spikes and fake “endangered” species like the Spotted Owl that wasn’t. Endangered.
It is a good thing Scotland is not a part of the EU. French wine has almost recovered from their loss of their vineyards. Almost all the vines in France came from central California where they have perfected the Chardonnay and Merlot grapes. The Europeans are drinking less wine and more beer. America also realized central California wine is the best in the world.