Important detail that Trump has missed after threatening 200% tariffs on champagne in European Union
Topics: Donald Trump, Europe, Alcohol
Gerrard Kaonga
Featured Image Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty
Topics: Donald Trump, Europe, Alcohol
Donald Trump has issued a threat against the EU and has taken to Truth Social to reveal his plans to retaliate against the bloc - but there's one detail he may have missed.
In a somewhat strange turn of events, early into his second bout as president, Donald Trump has been locked in trade wars.
However, not with the suspected culprit of China, but rather the US’ longstanding allies, most notably Canada, Mexico and the European Union.
Taking to Truth Social today (March 13), Trump outlined what his next move would be as the trade war continues to intensify.
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His threat comes as the EU commission cranked up taxes as a retaliatory measure against the US, after Washington inflicted 25 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
The EU said it will allow trade deals to lapse and apply a package of countermeasures, effectively applying tariffs to €26 billion (around $28 billion) of US goods, including a 50 percent levy on bourbon whiskey.
Trump insisted he would be crank up tariffs coming out of the European Union on goods like alcohol as a response. However he may have missed a simple detail in his comments on social media.
The POTUS said the EU was 'formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States' and has inflicted a 'nasty' 50 percent tariff on whisky. He added that the EU is one of the 'most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the world'.
He posted: “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."
It is this final comment that people have called out.
According to a report by travel and lifestyle magazine, The Real World: “The only wines that are legally allowed to be named 'Champagne' must be bottled within 100 miles of the Champagne region in France.
“The name is legally protected by European law and an 1891 treaty that requires true champagne to be produced in the Champagne region and made from the Pinot Meunier, Pinot Noir, or Chardonnay grapes grown in this region.”
This means that, without France, there is no ‘US Champagne businesses’, ultimately meaning that anything that negatively impacts these regions would likely in turn negatively affect those in the US, not bolster it.
But never fret, there are plenty alcoholic alternatives that are similar to champagne... they just can’t use that name.