Trump Lifts Scotch Whisky Tariff After Royal Visit, Emphasizing UK-US Ties

President Donald Trump announced the removal of the 10% tariff on Scotch whisky, crediting King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s U.S. visit for strengthening US–UK ties and the interconnected whiskey industries of Scotland and Kentucky. He framed the move as part of broader economic cooperation (the Economic Prosperity Deal) to expand market access for key goods, a stance welcomed by the Scotch Whisky Association and Kentucky lawmakers. The decision comes amid a backdrop of trade tensions that have pressured both the Scotch and U.S. whisky sectors, including declines in Scotch exports to the U.S. and U.S. exports overall, with the policy aimed at easing cross-border bourbon–scotch industry dynamics.