Tariff crisis Trump's tariff policy

Trump tariffs hit French wine and spirits

US tariffs on European alcoholic beverages are hitting France hard. Last year, the value of the country's wine and spirits exports fell by 7.9 percent, AFP reports. Exports to the US fell by a whopping 21 percent.

- Geopolitical tensions, trade conflicts, currency fluctuations and reduced consumer confidence have weighed on our export results, says Gabriel Picard, chairman of the FEVS trade association.

The tariffs mainly affect spirits such as cognac and armagnac. For example, cognac exports to the US fell by almost 24 percent.

Republicans want to stop vote on tariff policy

Republicans have submitted a motion in Congress that will stop a vote on a law that would transfer parts of the control of tariffs from the White House to Congress. This is reported by international media.

Democratic Congressman James McGovern calls the move cowardly.

“They’re running over their own voters. Prices are going up. I mean, if we voted on this tomorrow, they (the voters) would vote to lift the tariffs,” McGovern told Bloomberg.

Congress will vote on the measure next week. Republicans have a slim majority, so it only takes a couple of Republicans to vote against the measure to defeat it.