U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he intends to eliminate the 10% tariff currently imposed on Irish whiskey. The announcement came during the closing trophy ceremony of the Irish Open in Doonbeg, Ireland, where the President noted that he had faced frequent inquiries regarding the levy from attendees and golfers alike.
Addressing the crowd, the President remarked, “Everybody’s been bugging me” to address the trade issue, adding, “And I said, ‘On behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off.’” The declaration was met with cheers and whistling from the spectators at the tournament.
Irish whiskey is currently subject to a 10% tariff, a rate that was reduced from 15% this past July as part of broader import measures concerning the European Union. While the administration has signaled this policy shift, specific details regarding the exact timeline for the removal of the tariff were not immediately available.
The Irish Whiskey Association had previously lobbied for the elimination of these tariffs in May, suggesting that such action would support American businesses that manage Irish spirits in their product lineups while providing greater price stability for consumers.
This policy adjustment follows a similar move regarding the United Kingdom. On April 30, Trump announced that he had granted a tariff break on whiskey to the U.K. following a White House visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. In social media comments at the time, Trump stated, “The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!” The Scotch Whisky Association confirmed that the zero-tariff policy for British spirits officially went into effect on July 24. The report also notes that in May, the Irish Whiskey Association called for the tariffs to be removed, arguing that such a step would help many U.S. companies with Irish products in their portfolios and avoid uncertainty for consumers. The report also notes that irish leaders react after Trump says he’d ‘love’ to see a unified Ireland. The report also notes that millions dropped from SNAP food assistance as funding faces September uncertainty.
