President Donald Trump's blunt-force use of tariffs has forged a rare bipartisan alliance among Kentucky's top leaders — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul — in lamenting brewing trade wars that could stagger the bourbon sector.
Bourbon distillers who invested time and money cultivating markets in Europe and Canada are now worried about becoming “collateral damage” in escalating tit-for-tat disputes. Trump's saber-rattling intensified this week when he threatened a 200% tariff on European wine, Champagne and other spirits if the European Union goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey.
