Trump threatens 200% tariffs on EU whiskey and alcohol

US president Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 200% tariff on all alcoholic beverages produced in EU member states if the European Commission does not scrap a proposed 50% tariff on US whiskey.

The Commission signalled that it could bring forward a 50% tariff on US whiskey as part of its response to US tariffs on EU steel and aluminium.

There is currently no tariffs in place for whiskey shipments from the EU to the US and vice versa.

“The European Union, one of the most hostile and abusive taxing and tariffing authorities in the world, which was formed for the sole purpose of taking advantage of the United States, has just put a nasty 50% tariff on whisky,” President Trump posted to social media on Thursday.

“If this tariff is not removed immediately, the US will shortly place a 200% tariff on all wines, champagnes, & alcoholic products coming out of France and other EU represented countries.

“This will be great for the wine and champagne businesses in the US,” his post to the Trump-owned social media platform Truth Social said.

Irish whiskey

Last year, Ireland exported just shy of €900m worth of alcoholic beverages to the US, with roughly half of the value coming from whiskey exports.

The value of whiskey exports to the US almost doubled from 2023 to 2024.

“The European Commission announcement of counter-measures yesterday, implicating US whiskey, along with the statement this morning from President Trump, is extremely concerning to us,” director of the Irish Whiskey Association Eoin Ó Catháin stated.

“Our products are bound to the land – Irish whiskey will always be Irish, just as Kentucky bourbon will always be Kentuckian. There is no winner in a trade war.

“The imposition of tariffs will impact on our businesses and our consumers. Having our sector implicated in this dispute puts jobs, investments and businesses at risk and has the potential to be devastating for Irish whiskey.”