John Swinney on Thursday hailed what he called a “tremendous success” for Scotland after President Donald Trump removed some tariffs on Scotch whisky after this week’s White House visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
The possibility of Trump rolling back the tariffs comes at a pivotal moment for Scotland’s whisky industry, which has long sought relief from trade barriers that have hit exports to the U.S., one of its most important markets.
If confirmed, the move would directly benefit Scotch producers and exporters, with the Scottish government expecting renewed growth in U.S. sales and investment.
Swinney, Scotland’s first minister, said he understood the president’s comments following the meeting to mean tariffs on Scotch would be dropped, and he expressed gratitude to both Trump and the king for their roles in the discussions.
“People’s jobs were at stake. Millions of pounds were being lost every month from the Scottish economy,” said Swinney, who expressed gratitude to President Trump and King Charles.
Trump Lifting Some Tariffs on Scotch Whisky: What to Know
President Trump vowed to remove tariffs and restrictions on whiskey to boost Scotland‘s economy—and credited King Charles III with the move stating: “The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!”
The president announced the move in a Truth Social post on the final day of the king and Queen Camilla‘s State Visit to America, which featured a landmark speech to a joint session of Congress, only the second of its kind by a British monarch.
Trump wrote on Truth Social: “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 U.S.A. President DONALD J. TRUMP”
The British royals are famous for their soft power which usually benefits Britain’s national interesting indirectly by encouraging warm relations with other countries but it is extremely rare for such a concrete and direct victory to emerge from a tour of this kind.
For Trump to state explicitly that it was the king and queen who landed a softening of the tariff regime and to add that no one else could have done it serves as a significant boost to the enduring power of the Monarchy.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson told Newsweek: “The King has been informed of President Trump’s warm gesture and sends his sincere gratitude for a decision that will make an important difference to the British whisky industry and the livelihoods it supports.
His Majesty will be raising a dram to the President’s thoughtfulness and generous hospitality as he departs the US after a most enjoyable State Visit for both Their Majesties in this special anniversary year.”
Trump has repeatedly used alcohol as leverage in his tariff threats. Last year, he warned of a 200% tariff on European wine — a move that would have dealt a major blow to producers in France and Italy — though the proposal was never implemented.
Foreign governments have responded with their own threats targeting bourbon and other U.S. exports.
Ultimately, the Trump administration exempted cork from tariffs, a decision that provided significant relief to Portugal, the world’s leading supplier of the material used to seal wine bottles.
Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, said he understood Trump’s remarks to mean the administration would lift the 10% tariff on whisky imported from the United Kingdom.
“We applaud President Trump for working to restore a proven zero‑for‑zero model of fair, reciprocal trade between our two nations,” Swonger said in a statement shared with the Associated Press. “This action strengthens transatlantic ties, brings much‑needed certainty to our industry and allows spirits producers on both sides of the Atlantic to grow, invest and support jobs at a critical time.”
King Charles, Queen Camilla Wrap State Visit
Trump’s post came on the final day of a State Visit by the king and queen that began on Monday and saw Charles tackle some tricky topics in his speech to Congress but also receive repeated standing ovations from both sides of the house.
Charles gave the British perspective on international relations, defending the NATO alliance, described by Trump as a “paper tiger,” emphasizing the importance of defending Ukraine, and calling for peace at a time when America has been at war with Iran.
To step into such controversial territory risked a diplomatic incident but he pulled it off all while winning new praise from the president who said outside the White House: “He made a great speech. I was very jealous.”
Trump’s own speech at Tuesday’s White House state dinner also strayed into difficult territory for the Monarchy as the president touched on the War in Iran, saying: “We’re doing a little Middle East work right now … and we’re doing very well. We have militarily defeated that particular opponent, and we’re never going to let that opponent ever, Charles agrees with me even more than I do, we’re never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon.”
Trump followed up on Thursday by saying in the Oval Office: “The King is fantastic. We spent a lot of time together. We talked a lot. We talked about this also. He loves his country, and he’s a great King. And he’s a great friend. I think if he were doing that, if that were up to him, he would have probably helped us with Iran.”
That final remark was again challenging for the palace because the monarch is supposed to remain impartial and crucially cannot be in contradiction with his Prime Minister over how the country is run.
Keir Starmer angered the U.S. President by refusing to join the Iran War despite requests from Trump, who clapped back on Truth Social in March: “The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East.
“That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”
This is a breaking news article. Updates to follow.
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