Day: March 13, 2025

President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 200% tariff on wine, champagne, and other alcoholic beverages from France and the European Union. The threat is in response to the EU’s plan to impose a tax on American whiskey exports, which is a retaliation against Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs. Trump’s tariff threat has caused shares in European makers of alcoholic beverages to fall, and has escalated the transatlantic trade war. Bloomberg News Albertina Torsoli reports. (Source: Bloomberg)

A top aide to President Vladimir Putin said Russia wanted a long-term solution and not a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine as US officials arrived in Moscow for talks.

The comments from Yuri Ushakov reported by the Interfax news agency on Thursday underscore that Russia may not be ready to agree to the 30-day truce the US negotiators are seeking as part of US President Donald Trump’s vow to end the war quickly.

They also came as Russia said it expelled Ukrainian troops from a key town in the Kursk region, bringing Putin closer to his goal of completely dislodging Kyiv’s forces from his country and depriving Ukraine of a crucial bargaining chip.

Bob Hormats, Kissinger Associates Vice Chairman, explains why he doesn’t believe Putin wants to pull back from Ukraine and how Trump’s rift with the European Union is weakening US credibility among its allies. Bob speaks with Tom Keene and Paul Sweeney on Bloomberg Radio. (Source: Bloomberg)

President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened a 200% tariff on European wine, Champagne and spirits if the European Union goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey.

The whiskey tariff is part of the EU’s retaliatory response to ongoing US trade restrictions on steel and aluminum.

The EU has proposed an American whiskey tariff, in response to steel and aluminum tariffs by the U.S. administration, that is expected to go into effect on April 1.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell said the president cannot act like “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” villain, the Queen of Hearts.

The White House has withdrawn the nomination of Dr. David Weldon, a former Florida congressman, to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It looks like Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected the 30-day ceasefire proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on the war against Ukraine. According to the Financial Times, citing an unnamed senior aide to Putin, Moscow does not want a temporary ceasefire and is pushing for a long-term peace

The White House has withdrawn its nomination of Dr. Dave Weldon to serve as the director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two Trump administration official familiar with the decision told CNN.