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President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to impose a massive tariff on European alcohol in response to the European Union’s retaliation against his steel and aluminum tariffs – a tit-for-tat escalation of a trade war that could easily get out of hand.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said his administration would impose a 200% tariff on alcoholic beverages from the EU unless it rescinds the 50% tariff the European government imposed Wednesday on US whiskey.

“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,” Trump said. “This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S.”

America’s response to Europe’s response to America’s tariffs in the span of 36 hours shows how trade wars can quickly spiral out of control. After Trump’s 25% tariffs on aluminum and steel went into effect at midnight Wednesday morning, the EU immediately responded to what it called “unjustified” trade action.

JUST IN: Pres. Trump on Thursday threatened a 200% tariff on champagne and other alcohol products from the European Union, escalating a global trade war that has roiled markets and stoked recession fears.

Read more: https://t.co/TUEPi0JjHk pic.twitter.com/fa9sC1TyM9

— ABC News (@ABC) March 13, 2025

𝔸𝔹ℂ ℕ𝕖𝕨𝕤

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The White House on Tuesday evening responded to an email from a senior USAID official ordering remaining staffers to destroy documents.

The document shredding took place at the Ronald Reagan Building Tuesday.

Thousands of USAID workers were placed on administrative leave so the building is being cleared out.

“Shred as many documents first, and reserve the burn bags for when the shredder becomes unavailable or needs a break,” the email from USAID’s acting executive director, Erica Carr said.

“The only labeling required on the burn bags are the words “SECRET” and “USAID/(B/IO)” in dark sharpie if possible,” the email said.

The email was obtained by Propublica, Politico and CBS News.

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕝:

White House Responds to Email From Senior USAID Official Ordering Destruction of Documents

What a mess!https://t.co/dTuumAC4pF

— Vigilant News (@VigilantNews) March 12, 2025

𝕍𝕚𝕘𝕚𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕥 ℕ𝕖𝕨𝕤

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The European Union responded to American steel and aluminum tariffs with its own tariffs on boats and bourbon — and pledges of more to come.

European Union leaders have been clear that they want to negotiate with the United States on trade to avoid a full-blown conflict. But with no deal in sight, officials announced a plan on Wednesday that is meant to hit back hard as steel and aluminum tariffs come into effect.

President Trump has imposed 25 percent tariffs on all global steel and aluminum imports, including products that contain those metals, such as cookware and window frames. Given that breadth, the European Union said that the U.S. levies might affect some 26 billion euros — $28 billion — of the bloc’s exports.

So the bloc announced a plan that is meant to retaliate in equal measure.

The response will come in two parts. The bloc had increased tariffs on a range of goods in retaliation to U.S. measures during Mr. Trump’s first term, but they were suspended under the Biden administration. That suspension will be allowed to lapse on April 1, increasing tariffs on billions of euros worth of products that include boats, bourbon and motorcycles.

The bloc’s second step, it said, would be to place tariffs on about €18 billion worth of additional products. Representatives from countries across Europe will consult for two weeks before officials finalize the list of affected products.

“We need to avoid an escalation”

President of the European Council, António Costa, stated that the EU is open to negotiations with the U.S. on tariffs, emphasizing the importance of avoiding escalation. He noted that if the U.S. believes there is a real issue, the best way to address it is through discussions. He also stressed that the EU aims to prevent the escalation of trade disputes and is ready to continue dialogue on tariff issues.

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The captain of the cargo ship that crashed into a tanker carrying oil for the US military was a Russian national, the ship’s owner has said.

MV Solong struck tanker Stena Immaculate off the Yorkshire coast on Monday.

In a statement, Ernst Russ, the Hamburg-based owner of MV Solong, said the captain was Russian, and added that the rest of the crew were a mix of Russian and Filipino nationals.

Jerome Mayhew, the shadow transport minister, said the nationality of the Solong’s captain raised “further questions” about the incident.

He told PA news agency: “Where military assets are damaged it is vital that motives are fully investigated to exclude foul play. The nationality of the captain of the Solong raises further questions about potential motivation that the Government must now get to the bottom of it.”

𝕃𝕀𝕍𝔼: 𝔸𝕣𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕕 ℂ𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝕆𝕗 ℂ𝕒𝕣𝕘𝕠 𝕊𝕙𝕚𝕡 𝕋𝕙𝕒𝕥 ℂ𝕣𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕀𝕟𝕥𝕠 𝕌𝕊 𝕋𝕒𝕟𝕜𝕖𝕣 𝕀𝕤 ℝ𝕦𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕒𝕟 | 𝕌𝕂 ℕ𝕖𝕨𝕤

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President Donald Trump says that he will double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% for Canada, escalating a trade war with the United States’ northern neighbor.

Trump says the increase of the tariffs set to take effect on Wednesday is a response to the price increases that the provincial government of Ontario put on electricity sold to the United States.

American manufacturers that use aluminum and steel are already paying more for these metals than competitors in Europe. This is even before President Donald Trump’s import duties on these materials have come into effect.

The difference with European factories amounts to tens of percent, according to financial news agency Bloomberg. Manufacturers who want to buy aluminum in the United States at current market prices pay about 23 percent more for this than in Europe. Steel is 40 percent more expensive.

These higher prices are the result of the larger stocks that aluminum and steel consumers want to build up in the run-up to the duties, which should go into effect on Wednesday according to a decision by Trump. This involves a tariff of 25 percent on all aluminum and steel entering the US.

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Pollution from a collision between a cargo ship and oil tanker in the North Sea is an “immediate environmental disaster”, according to experts.

Leaking oil and fuel being released could leave a “toxic legacy” for ocean wildlife that should be protected, according to Hugo Tagholm.

The executive director of Oceana UK said oil pollution could have a “long term impact” on ecosystems which are home to threatened seabird colonies, grey seals, harbour porpoises, fish, and minke whales.

Fires on both vessels continued to burn overnight after the Solong struck the US-chartered Stena Immaculate off the coast of Humberside shortly before 10am on Monday.

Martin Slater, Director of Operations at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said he was “very worried” about the impact any spill could have on wildlife populations including significant colonies of seabirds, as well as wintering waders and migrating birds.

Dr Jonathan Paul, from the earth sciences department at Royal Holloway, University of London, said that if sodium cyanide has leaked from the Solong cargo ship, there is a “potential immediate risk to humans and wildlife”.

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The record assault unfolded ahead of US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia, where Washington will pressure for peace

Moscow faced its largest-ever wave of Ukrainian kamikaze drones on Tuesday night, with Russian air defenses successfully intercepting hundreds of the incoming UAVs, according to officials.

Later in the day, senior Ukrainian and US officials are set to meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss potential peace negotiations – a process President Donald Trump is pushing both Kiev and Moscow to embrace.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, a total of 337 Ukrainian drones were neutralized overnight.

The ministry’s statement detailed that 126 of these were intercepted over Kursk Region, which is adjacent to the Ukrainian border and well-covered by Russian air defenses; 91 were brought down over Moscow Region, which surrounds the capital.

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