**Trump Urges EU to Lift Tariffs on ‘American Whiskey’ at Truth Social**
Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, has warned the European Union (EU) that he would impose a 200% tariff on all wines and champagne imported into the U.S. This announcement comes as a response to the EU’s retaliatory tariffs worth 26 billion euros (approximately 41 trillion won) on American products.
On the 13th, Trump stated via the social network service (SNS) Truth Social, “The EU is one of the most hostile and abusive tax and tariff-levying bodies in the world, established solely to exploit the U.S.” He criticized the EU for having recently imposed a “terrible 50% tariff” on American whiskey, adding, “If this tariff is not lifted, the U.S. will soon impose a 200% tariff on all wines, champagne, and alcohol products from France and other countries represented by the EU. This would greatly benefit American wine and champagne businesses.”
On the 12th, the EU announced that it would impose retaliatory tariffs on American products, including whiskey, starting in April, in response to the U.S.’s 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum. Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, expressed “deep regret” over the U.S.’s steel and aluminum tariff measures in a statement announcing the retaliatory action. However, she also mentioned that “on April 1, the suspension of tariffs on some American products will end, and new countermeasures will be presented by the 13th,” suggesting there is still room for negotiation by setting the formal announcement of retaliatory tariffs for mid-April.
Meanwhile, Canada has also responded to U.S. tariffs with retaliatory measures. On the 12th, Canada’s Minister of Finance, Dominic LeBlanc, announced at a press conference that Canada would impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods worth 29.8 billion Canadian dollars (approximately 30 trillion won). The targeted goods include American steel products (worth 12.6 billion Canadian dollars), aluminum products (worth 12.6 billion Canadian dollars), and computers, sports equipment, and cast iron products (worth 14.3 billion Canadian dollars).