Fears of a tariff war with President Donald Trump have forced European officials to hold off on their plan to tax American-made whiskey. The tariffs, originally scheduled for late March, are now delayed until at least mid-April.
The European Commission had announced the new duties in response to Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs. U.S. products set to be targeted included bourbon, jeans and motorcycles — all tied closely to American cultural exports and red-state industries.
The European Commission had announced the new duties in response to Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs. U.S. products set to be targeted included bourbon, jeans and motorcycles — all tied closely to American cultural exports and red-state industries.
President Trump quickly fired back, warning of a 200% tariff on European alcohol. His warning landed hard in countries like France and Italy, where wine and spirits exports are major economic drivers.
In response, EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic confirmed that the list of U.S. products is still under review and won’t be finalized until April. He also acknowledged that talks with the U.S. are effectively frozen until the next round of U.S. tariffs take effect.
Some of Europe’s own leaders have spoken out against escalating the fight. Italy’s Giorgia Meloni warned that a tit-for-tat approach would hurt both sides. French and Irish leaders echoed the concerns and called for more rational engagement with the U.S.
The delayed measures would have revived tariffs previously seen during Trump’s first term. This round was expected to cover about $28 billion in U.S. imports, with a 50% tax on American whiskey at the center of the plan.
Trump’s administration has also indicated that alcohol imported from the EU is not off limits if European officials move ahead with punishing U.S. exports.
