ISLAMABAD: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 200 percent tariff on French wines and champagnes, escalating tensions in trade relations between the United States and France.
Trump made the remarks through a series of social media statements, accusing France of unfair trade practices and criticizing its taxation policies on American products. He said the proposed tariffs would be enforced unless France revised what he described as discriminatory measures against U.S. goods.
Trade analysts warned that such a move could significantly disrupt the U.S. wine market, where French imports account for a substantial share of premium wine and champagne sales. They also cautioned that the tariffs could provoke retaliatory measures from the European Union, potentially triggering a wider trade dispute.
French trade authorities have not yet issued an official response. However, previous disagreements between Washington and Paris over digital taxes and agricultural exports suggest that tensions could escalate rapidly if the tariffs are implemented.
Observers say Trump’s remarks underline his continued influence on U.S. trade policy debates, even after leaving office, and signal the persistence of protectionist rhetoric in American political discourse.
