US lifts tariffs on UK Scotch whisky after royal visit

The United States announced the removal of a 10% tariff on all UK whisky, including Scotch from Northern Ireland, following a state visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. President Donald Trump said the royals helped secure the decision, which ends the tariff imposed in April 2025 that had depressed exports to the United States.

British officials welcomed the move. Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds called it a boost for jobs and living standards, while Secretary of State for Scotland Douglas Alexander highlighted the benefit to Scotland’s 41,000‑strong whisky workforce and the wider UK sector. Industry leaders such as Nodjame Fouad, CEO of Pernod Ricard’s aged spirits division, said tariff‑free access will expand American consumer choice and strengthen the transatlantic spirits partnership.