Why Is the Trump Administration Punishing U.S. Wine Companies with Final Move in European Trade War? The White House has placed tariffs on more French and German wines; importers and retailers hope President-elect Joseph Biden will bring relief, but it won't be soon Katherine Tai, Joe Biden's nominee for trade representative, knows the wine tariff fight well, but will she find a solution quickly? (Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images) By Jan 8, 2021 The presidential inauguration is two weeks away, but the pain is not going away anytime soon for many European winemakers and the American businesses that sell their wines. As a parting gift to them, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced additional tariffs on New Year's Eve, part of the ongoing fight with the European Union over subsidies to airplane manufacturers.