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US President Donald Trump has announced that he will remove tariffs on all whisky imports from the UK, giving a welcome boost to distillers in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

President Trump made the announcement yesterday (30 April 2026) following King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s four-day state visit.

In a post shared on his Truth Social platform, Trump said that he would remove all tariffs and restrictions on whisky “in honour of” the King and Queen’s visit, and improve Scotland’s ability to work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky on whiskey and bourbon.

Though his post focused on the Scotch whisky industry, US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer later confirmed that this preferential duty access applies to all whisky produced in the UK.

Whisky distilled in the Republic of Ireland will remain subject to the standard 15% import tariff on goods from the EU.

Mark Kent, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, described the move as a “significant boost” for the industry in its most valuable export market.

He commented: “Distillers can breathe a little easier during a period of significant pressure on the sector. We are hugely grateful for the sustained efforts on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Kent noted that industry stakeholders, and UK and Scottish governments, have “worked tirelessly” to return zero-for-zero tariff trade for whisky and bourbon in recent months, adding that the relationship between the Scotch whisky and American whiskey industries will be “reinvigorated” by the announcement.

“While challenges in our sector remain, we can now redouble our efforts to boost the benefits our two great industries bring to communities across Scotland and the US,” Kent concluded.