Trump Lifts Whisky Tariffs After King Charles' US Visit
In a gesture of diplomatic friendliness after King Charles’s visit to the White House, Donald Trump announced that the United States would remove all tariffs on whisky imports. The president made the declaration in a social media post, stating it was done "in Honor of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom."
Trump wrote on Truth Social: "The King and Queen got me to do something nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!" He called whisky and bourbon "two very important Industries within Scotland and Kentucky" and noted the significance of inter-country trade, particularly involving wooden barrels used in production.
The US and UK had signed a deal in 2025 allowing Washington to impose a 10% baseline tariff on most British goods. The whisky market has suffered from higher levies and declining alcohol consumption rates. The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) estimated that the charges cost the industry £4 million per week.
Last year, Diageo, parent company of spirit brands including Johnnie Walker, Talisker, and Lagavulin, reduced production at some distilleries to balance lower demand. On Thursday, the SWA called the tariff removal "a significant boost" for the industry, adding that "distillers can breathe a little easier during a period of significant pressure on the sector."
Though British Prime Minister Keir Starmer negotiated a trade deal with Trump last May, the US maintained the 10% baseline tariff on most goods, including whisky, down from the 27.5% rate initially announced. The news comes after King Charles’s state visit, during which he received a warm welcome from the White House and Congress. In a speech before Congress, Charles made a veiled plea for Trump to return to traditional alliances, calling the US-UK relationship "truly unique."
