Bottling in progress, Beine (Yonne), March 17, 2025. ARNAUD FINISTRE/AFP
Donald Trump once again pulled out his heavy artillery on Tuesday, January 20. This time, his favorite target: French wines and spirits, which he threatened with a 200% tariff. The move came in retaliation for French President Emmanuel Macron's refusal to join his proposed "Board of Peace" for Gaza.
It was another blow to the French wine and spirits sector, which has often been singled out by the United States in trade disputes. In 2019, during Trump's first term in the White House, wine producers were subjected to a 25% tariff increase.
Trump justified the measure at the time as retaliation during the Airbus-Boeing dispute between Europe and the US. As tensions escalated on both sides of the Atlantic, Washington decided to toughen its stance by extending the additional tariffs in January 2021 to bulk wine and to eaux-de-vie, including cognac. Only champagne was spared from the wrath of the US president. The arrival of Joe Biden to power, however, led to those sanctions being lifted.
A shockwave
