WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� on Thursday threatened on European wine, champagne and spirits if the European Union goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey.
The European tariff, which was unveiled in response to by the U.S. administration, was expected to go into effect on April 1.
But Trump, in a morning social media post, vowed a new escalation in his trade war if the EU pushes ahead with the planned 50% tariff on American whiskey.
鈥淚f 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,鈥� Trump wrote. 鈥淭his will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.鈥�
The Republican president on Wednesday had signaled that he intended to take the action.
鈥淥f course I will respond,鈥� Trump told reporters during an Oval Office exchange with reporters.
Trump, in announcing the new steel and aluminum tariffs on Wednesday, openly challenged U.S. allies and vowed to , 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 鈥渞eciprocal鈥� rates starting on April 2.
The EU announced . European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that as the United States was 鈥渁pplying tariffs worth 28 billion dollars, we are responding with countermeasures worth 26 billion euros,鈥� or about $28 billion.
Those measures cover not just steel and aluminum products but also textiles, home appliances and agricultural goods.
, meanwhile, urged Trump to back off his trade war.
鈥淭he US-EU spirits sector is the model for fair and reciprocal trade, having zero-for-zero tariffs since 1997,鈥� Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council, said in a statement. 鈥淲e urge President Trump to secure a spirits agreement with the EU to get us back to zero-for-zero tariffs, which will create U.S. jobs and increase manufacturing and exports for the American hospitality sector. We want toasts not tariffs.鈥�
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AP writer Mike Warren contributed reporting.
Aamer Madhani, The Associated Press
