Kamal Ghorui
US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that he would remove tariffs and restrictions on whiskey linked to trade between Scotland and the US state of Kentucky.In a post on Truth Social he wrote, “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. 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! A wonderful Honor to have them both in the USA.”This comes after King Charles and Queen Camilla visited the White House on a state visit, during which trade ties and cultural relations between the United Kingdom and the United States were discussed. The visit also included conversations around strengthening economic cooperation between key industries in both countries.According to Trump’s post, the decision was influenced by long-standing trade links between Scotland’s whisky industry and Kentucky’s bourbon sector, particularly the exchange of materials such as wooden barrels used in production. He also suggested that the royal visit played a role in encouraging the policy shift.The announcement comes against the backdrop of earlier tariff measures introduced by the Trump administration in 2025, which included a 10% baseline tariff on most British goods. Those measures had raised concerns in the Scotch whisky industry, which relies heavily on exports, particularly to the United States.Trade representatives had earlier warned that such tariffs could increase pressure on distillers and impact a sector that depends significantly on international markets.Following the latest announcement, the move is expected to be welcomed by the whisky industry. Industry representatives said distillers would be able to “breathe a little easier during a period of significant pressure on the sector,” Reuters reported.
