President Donald Trump has eliminated tariffs on Scottish whisky, calling it a personal favor to Britain's King Charles III and Queen Camilla after their state visit to the U.S.
Shortly after bidding farewell to the British royals at the White House on Thursday, Trump took to Truth Social to announce the move. "The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!" he wrote.
He explained that the removal of tariffs and restrictions applies specifically to Scotland's trade with Kentucky, a state famous for its bourbon production, particularly regarding wooden barrels used in aging.
The royal visit was officially meant to celebrate transatlantic ties ahead of America's 250th Independence Day anniversary. But it also served as a reset for the strained relationship between the two nations, with Trump reportedly unhappy with UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer over a lack of cooperation on several issues.
Tariff Relief Only on UK Whiskey
Following Trump's announcement, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed that the U.S. would grant preferential tariff access to UK-produced whiskey as part of the ongoing U.S.–UK Economic Prosperity Deal. Greer noted that the deal builds on earlier agreements that expanded U.S. access to the UK market for beef and ethanol, as well as a recent pharmaceutical pact aimed at boosting investment and innovation in both countries. The updated implementation also includes broader preferential treatment for selected American and British goods.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the UK Department of Business and Trade clarified that the tariff relief applies only to whisky, not to related products such as wooden barrels.
Tariffs on Scotch whisky from the U.K. are currently 10%, but were scheduled to rise to 25% in June once an earlier trade agreement expired. U.K. Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle called the tariff removal "great news" for the Scotch whisky industry, noting it is worth nearly £1 billion ($1.3 billion) in exports and supports thousands of jobs in Britain.
Notably, earlier this year, Trump had threatened to impose a 200% tariff on French wines and champagnes after French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly declined to join his Gaza 'Board of Peace' initiative.
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