Donald Trump Latest News: A glass of Irish whiskey became the unlikely centre of a US trade announcement on Sunday when President Donald Trump used the closing ceremony of the Irish Open to reveal plans to remove the 10% tariff currently applied to Irish whiskey entering the United States.
Trump made the announcement in Ireland after meeting Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and attending the golf tournament at his Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg. He said Martin, Irish Open winner Shane Lowry and others had repeatedly raised the tariff issue with him.
The move could give Irish whiskey exporters a major boost while addressing a tariff imbalance that emerged after Washington removed duties on UK-produced whisky earlier this year. However, the Trump administration has not yet said exactly when the Irish whiskey tariff will be removed.
Donald Trump Latest News: Trump Announces Irish Whiskey Tariff Removal
Trump made the announcement while presenting the Irish Open trophy to Lowry. He said the issue had become a frequent topic during his visit and claimed that people from different sides had urged him to act.
“Everybody’s been bugging me” to do it, the Republican president said. “And I said, ‘On behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off'” of Irish whiskey.
The announcement drew loud cheers and whistles from spectators at the tournament. Trump did not provide a specific date for the tariff removal, leaving Irish producers and US importers waiting for details on how the policy will be implemented.
Donald Trump Latest News: Why Irish Whiskey Was Facing A 10% US Tariff?
Irish whiskey has been covered by the tariff imposed on many imports from the European Union. The rate was reduced from 15% to 10% in July, leaving Irish whiskey exporters facing an additional cost when selling their products in the US market.
The tariff issue became more significant after Washington separately moved to remove tariffs on whisky produced in the UK, including Scotch whisky and spirits made in Northern Ireland.
The UK government said whisky from the UK began entering the US with zero tariffs on July 24 following the agreement reached during King Charles III’s April visit to Washington.
That created a clear difference between whisky producers in the Republic of Ireland and their counterparts in the UK. Irish industry representatives had pushed for similar treatment and argued that restoring tariff-free trade would benefit producers, American businesses and consumers.
Donald Trump Latest News: Irish Whiskey Industry Welcomes Trump’s Decision
The US spirits industry also welcomed Trump’s announcement.
Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, described the decision as a positive development for spirits trade and said it could benefit businesses and consumers during the holiday period.
“As US hospitality businesses enter the critical holiday season, this action will provide a welcome boost for retailers, restaurants, consumers and the American economy,” Swonger said.
The Irish Whiskey Association had also previously called for the tariff to be removed. The group argued that US businesses with Irish whiskey in their portfolios were facing unnecessary uncertainty because of the duty.
Reuters reported that the association welcomed Trump’s latest announcement and viewed it as a potential step toward restoring zero-tariff trade for beverage exports between Ireland and the United States.
Donald Trump Latest News: Trump Had Already Removed Tariffs On UK Whisky
The Irish whiskey announcement follows Trump’s earlier decision to remove tariffs on UK-produced whisky.
Trump said in April that King Charles III and Queen Camilla had helped persuade him to provide the tariff relief after their visit to the White House.
“The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!” Trump posted on social media.
The Scotch Whisky Association later confirmed that the zero-tariff arrangement came into effect on July 24. The UK government said the US is one of the industry’s most valuable export markets, with whisky exports to the country worth around £1 billion in 2025.
Donald Trump Latest News: What Trump’s Irish Whiskey Decision Means
If the tariff removal takes effect as announced, Irish whiskey producers will be able to compete in the US without the additional 10% duty that currently applies to their products.
The decision could also reduce the competitive gap between Irish whiskey and UK whisky in the American market. However, the immediate impact will depend on when the administration formally implements the change and whether any additional conditions accompany it.
For now, Trump’s announcement represents a significant shift in US-Ireland spirits trade and gives Irish whiskey producers a potential path back to tariff-free access to one of their most important international markets.
