US President made the threat in a post on social media, after the EU proposed a tariff on American whiskey
The European tariff was expected to take effect on April 1.
Although the UK is no longer a member of the EU, there is no guarantee that large Scottish drinks distributors such as Chivas Brothers in Dumbarton would not be affected by this announcment.
Trump said in a social media post that the EU was “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.”
“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,” Trump said.
“This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the US,” Trump added.
The Republican president had signalled on Wednesday that he intended to take the action.
“Of course I will respond,” Trump told reporters during an Oval Office exchange.
Trump, in announcing the new steel and aluminium tariffs on Wednesday, openly challenged US allies and vowed to take back wealth “stolen” by other countries, and he drew quick retaliation.
He has separate tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, with plans to also tax imports from the European Union, Brazil and South Korea by charging “reciprocal” rates starting on April 2.
These measures cover not just steel and aluminium products but also textiles, home appliances and agricultural goods.
Swinney’s decision to meet Trump’s son was ‘bad call’, says Green co-leader
Meanwhile, John Swinney’s decision to meet with Donald Trump’s son at Bute House was a “very bad call”, Lorna Slater has said.
The Scottish Greens co-leader said the sit-down with Eric Trump at the First Minister’s official residence sent a “bad message”.
The pair met in Edinburgh on Thursday to discuss the Trump family’s business in Scotland, which once had a major interest in Loch Lomond Golf Club at Luss.
In a statement, Trump said he did not discuss politics with the SNP leader – who has called for his father’s state visit to the UK to be cancelled due to his treatment of Ukraine.
She said: “Donald Trump will turn on his friends and allies the instant he sees that it is in his interest to do so.
“Building up relationships with him is putting businesses at risk because he could turn on them at any time.
“Look at what’s happened to Canadian businesses just about overnight.”
She said the meeting was a “really bad call and a bad message to send that he [Mr Swinney] wants to be friends with Donald Trump and his businesses”.