Donald Trump has announced the removal of tariffs on Scottish whisky, crediting the King and Queen's recent visit to the White House for influencing his decision. The US president highlighted the longstanding relationship between Scotland's whisky industry and American bourbon producers, noting that most Scotch producers source their casks from the United States.
Presidential Announcement
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump stated: "In honor of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, who have just left the White House, soon headed back to their wonderful Country, I will be removing the Tariffs and Restrictions on Whiskey having to do with Scotland’s ability to work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky on Whiskey and Bourbon, two very important Industries within Scotland and Kentucky."
He added: "People have wanted to do this for a long time, in that there had been great Inter-Country Trade, especially having to do with the Wooden Barrels used. The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!"
Political Reactions
First Minister John Swinney hailed the decision as "tremendous news for Scotland". He said: "As First Minister, I have made it my mission to do everything possible to lift US tariffs on our whisky. People’s jobs were at stake. Millions of pounds were being lost every month from the Scottish economy."
Mr Swinney noted that despite months of trade talks, the UK Government had done little to raise the issue, and the US president was not aware of the problem until his visit to Scotland. He credited direct engagement with the president, the Scotch Whisky Association, and the King's role at a state banquet for the breakthrough.
Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle described the move as "great news for our Scotch whisky industry, which is worth almost £1 billion in exports and supports thousands of jobs across the UK."
Industry Impact
The US is the single largest market for Scottish whisky, and the tariffs had been a major concern for producers. The removal is expected to boost trade and strengthen economic ties between Scotland and the United States.
