Trump ends US tariff on Scotch whisky

On 30 April 2026, President Donald Trump announced that the United States will remove tariffs on Scotch whisky. The statement marked a shift in US trade policy affecting whisky imports from the United Kingdom, and followed months of concern within the sector over the financial impact of the levies.

Trump said the decision to lift the tariffs was made in honor of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, who had recently visited the White House. He credited the royal couple with influencing the move, saying they got him to do something that nobody else was able to do.

The announcement came directly after the visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Washington. Trump linked the policy change to that engagement, describing the removal of tariffs as a gesture tied to the King and Queen of the United Kingdom.

Their visit, and Trump’s comments about it, positioned the tariff decision within a broader diplomatic context between the United States and the United Kingdom, with the president framing the move as a response to the royal couple’s appeal.

Industry representatives interpreted the announcement as covering a 10% tariff on whisky imported from the United Kingdom. Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council in the US, said Trump’s statement reflected the removal of this 10% duty.

The Scotch Whisky Association has estimated that the tariffs had been costing the industry about £4 million each week. The end of the tariff is therefore seen as removing a substantial recurring cost that had weighed on producers’ margins and export performance.

The Scotch Whisky Association welcomed Trump’s decision, describing the removal of tariffs as a significant boost for the sector. The industry has been facing declining consumption rates and broader economic pressures, and the change in US policy is viewed as a relief amid those challenges.

According to industry groups, lifting the tariffs is expected to enhance trade relations between the US and UK spirits sectors. They also anticipate it will provide greater stability for whisky producers on both sides of the Atlantic by reducing uncertainty over export conditions and costs.

By taking the tariffs off Scotch whisky, the US administration signaled a more accommodating stance toward UK whisky imports. Stakeholders in the spirits trade see the move as supportive of cross-border commerce and potentially helpful for restoring momentum in Scotch whisky exports to the US market.

While further details on implementation were not outlined in the announcement, the immediate reaction from industry bodies underscored the importance of the US market for Scotch whisky and the significance of removing a 10% barrier that had affected the sector’s finances week after week.