Irish Whiskey Makers Demand Zero U.S. Tariffs

Alcohol industry groups across the United Kingdom and Ireland are continuing to push for “zero-for-zero tariffs” after U.S. President Donald Trump announced last week that tariffs on Scotch whisky exports to the U.S. would be lifted, Falyn Stempler reported for Irish Star.

UK and Irish distillers are pushing for tariff-free access to the U.S. market.

Trump made the announcement Thursday as King Charles III and Queen Camilla departed Washington, D.C., following a four-day state visit. The president credited the British royals for influencing the decision after months of lobbying by industry executives, who welcomed the move.

A U.S. trade representative said the policy would extend to whisky producers across the UK under an Economic Partnership Agreement reached last year.

Days before the announcement, representatives from the Irish Whiskey Association and the Scotch Whisky Association met in Dublin to discuss the sector’s future amid global trade uncertainty.

“In honor of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, who have just left the White House and are heading back to their wonderful country, I will be removing the tariffs and restrictions on whisky,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, referencing cooperation between Scotland and Kentucky—key regions for whisky and bourbon production.