U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the removal of tariffs and restrictions on whisky imports, following the recent state visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the White House.
Trump said the decision would also end limits affecting cooperation between Scotland and the US state of Kentucky in whisky and bourbon production.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, he said the move was made “in honour of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom,” adding that the royal visit helped secure an outcome “nobody else was able to do.”
Speaking later at a press briefing, Trump confirmed: “I just took all the restrictions off, so Scotland and Kentucky can start dealing again,” noting that the decision was tied to the royal visit.
The UK government said the changes would apply to all whisky tariffs, including Irish whiskey.
Buckingham Palace responded with a statement saying King Charles had sent his “sincere gratitude” and would be “raising a dram” in appreciation of Trump’s gesture.
In Scotland, First Minister John Swinney welcomed the development, calling it “tremendous news,” and saying the tariffs had been costing the economy millions.
The Scotch Whisky Association said exporters had been losing around £4 million weekly due to the tariffs, amounting to about £150 million over the past year.
Its Director of Strategy, Graeme Littlejohn, said the decision would bring “a real boost for the industry,” adding that extensive negotiations likely helped secure the breakthrough.
UK Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle also praised the move, describing it as “great news” for an industry worth nearly £1 billion in exports and supporting thousands of jobs across the UK.
