Trump says he’s lifting certain tariffs on Scotch whisky after royal visit
Trump says certain whisky tariffs will be lifted after a White House visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, with details still unclear.
A major trade promise about whisky hit the headlines after President Donald Trump said he is lifting certain tariffs tied to Scotland following a royal visit.
Trump made the announcement after this week’s White House visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom, saying the trip helped push through a change “nobody else was able to do.” He also suggested that public pressure played a role, particularly around the wooden barrels used to age Scotch and bourbon.
In his remarks, Trump linked the decision to Scotland’s ability to work with Kentucky’s whiskey and bourbon business, but he did not clearly specify whether the move covers Scotch bottles themselves or the inputs used to produce the alcohol.. That ambiguity left different interpretations floating in the UK, where industry figures and commentators were closely watching what would change in practice.
Why it matters: in whisky, small shifts in how trade rules apply to materials and production can ripple through costs and planning, affecting both producers and workers.
Later, Misryoum reports that the U.S. trade office said the country would provide “preferential duty access” for whiskey produced in the United Kingdom. However, the administration did not immediately clarify whether that language means removing tariffs entirely or only lowering them.
The backdrop is a broader tariff relationship between the U.S. and Britain. In 2025, a trade framework put a 10% tax on most goods imported from Britain, and the Scotch Whisky Association said export volumes to the U.S. dropped after those tariffs were announced.
Asked about the move in the Oval Office, Trump framed the change as a way to help restart trade involving barrels between Scotland and Kentucky. He also said he is “not a big drinker,” while emphasizing the specific role barrels play in aging the spirit.
Scottish political leaders received the announcement as a positive shift for the industry.. John Swinney, Scotland’s first minister, described Trump’s comments as a removal of tariffs on Scotch itself, calling it a “tremendous success,” and said jobs were at stake as the Scottish economy faced losses.
Why it matters: tariff decisions like this can also reshape the tone of wider negotiations, especially when alcohol has repeatedly been used as a bargaining lever.
Trump has previously applied pressure through tariff threats involving alcohol, including a last year’s warning about European wine.. In this case, Misryoum reports that some exemptions were also made, including for cork, and industry representatives in the U.S.. signaled that they viewed the latest announcement as restoring a more predictable trade approach for spirits producers.