Donald Trump, somewhat famously, does not partake of alcohol. But that doesn’t mean he can’t use wine, champagne, or other fine spirits as a weapon in the latest phase of his trade war.
In response to the news that the European Union has imposed what he called “a nasty 50% Tariff on Whisky,” Trump announced on Truth Social Thursday morning that if the whiskey tariff is not removed, he will impose “a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES.”
Trump added that the tariffs will be “great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.,” although many pointed out that champagne, by definition, can only be produced in France.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced the whiskey tariffs the day before, declaring that the EU “must act to protect consumers and business.”
It’s another story of Trump-led trade brinksmanship, even as the previous few weeks of such have sent markets tumbling. Trump, as usual, is making grandiose claims about the great things the tariffs will do, while also putting him in position to declare victory should the EU back down.
There were some amused reactions to Trump’s liquor move:
It’s wild to me that Donald Trump doesn’t drink. He’s just like this all the time sober. For me to reach this level of absurdity I’d need to be like 7 glasses of wine deep lol
— Billy Binion (@billybinion) March 5, 2025
pissing off the midwestern wine moms AND the french (there is no champagne business in the US bc it’s not champagne unless its from the champagne region of france etc), masterful gambit mr trump https://t.co/7Rlwyg2iw5
— Anjali (@AnjaliVBhatt) March 13, 2025
I am proposing a 500% tariff on orange and “natural” wines
— Josh Barro (@jbarro) March 13, 2025
Of course, others pointed out something: Trump, or rather this family, is in the wine business. The Trump Winery, located in Charlottesville, Va., has been in business since 2011. While running in 2016, Trump declared the winery “the largest winery on the East Coast,” although Politifact rated that claim as “false,” citing the National Association of American Wineries.
It appears that ownership of the winery passed to Trump’s son Eric at some point, as the website carries a disclaimer that “Trump Winery is a registered trade name of Eric Trump Wine Manufacturing LLC, which is not owned, managed, or affiliated with Donald J. Trump or any of his affiliates.”
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
