Trump Removes Scotch Whisky Tariffs After King Charles State Visit To Washington

The U.S has lifted tariffs on Scotch whisky following a state visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, with President Donald Trump announcing the decision as a gesture tied to the visit and long-standing trade links between Scotland and the U.S. state of Kentucky.

In a post on Truth Social and posterior comments to reporters, Trump said he was removing “all tariffs and restrictions on whiskey having to do with Scotland’s ability to work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky on Whiskey and Bourbon,” framing the move as a tribute to the royal visit and the transatlantic relationship. He added that he acted “in honor of the King and Queen,” who had just concluded their four-day visit to Washington, D.C. The White House confirmed the change followed discussions during the visit, according to CNBC.

The U.K. government confirmed that the decision applies broadly across whisky imports, including Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey. Officials in Edinburgh and London had previously been pushing for a return to zero-for-zero tariff conditions after earlier trade measures imposed a 10% duty on UK spirits entering the U.S.

The Scotch whisky sector is one of Scotland’s most significant export industries, employing around 40,000 people and accounting for nearly a quarter of all Scottish goods exports in 2025, according to industry data cited by the Scotch Whisky Association. The sector has also been heavily exposed to the U.S. market, its largest export destination, and depends on trade in both finished whisky and American bourbon barrels used in maturation.

Industry groups said tariffs had added significant pressure. The Scotch Whisky Association estimated earlier that the duties were costing millions of pounds per week in lost exports. The BBC reported that industry officials described the tariff removal as a major relief after months of uncertainty for distillers.

The four-day state visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, which included meetings at the White House, a state dinner and an address by the King to the U.S. Congress. It was widely seen as a key moment in reinforcing U.S.-U.K. relations, which had faced tension over trade policy and foreign policy differences in recent months.

King Charles used his speech to Congress to emphasize the importance of the transatlantic alliance, while Trump described the monarch as a “great friend” during public remarks after the state dinner. In earlier Oval Office comments, Trump also called the King “fantastic” and appeared to contrast him with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, suggesting Starmer would have been less helpful on issues such as Iran, according to an earlier IBT report.

The removal of tariffs also reverses trade conditions that had been introduced during earlier U.S. trade measures, which disrupted a previously low-friction whisky trade environment. Under those rules, a blanket tariff structure had replaced what had effectively been near-zero duties on spirits moving between the U.S. and U.K. markets.

The decision was welcomed by industry representatives on both sides of the Atlantic. Scotch whisky producers said the move restores a key trading relationship with the U.S. market, the CNBC report noted.

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney said the removal of tariffs would help protect jobs and support an industry that had been under sustained financial pressure. Buckingham Palace also acknowledged the decision, saying King Charles expressed gratitude for what it described as a gesture that would benefit the Scottish whisky industry and related livelihoods.