Trump Announces the Tariff Removal
President Donald Trump said he plans to remove the 10% United States tariff on Irish whiskey. He made the announcement during the trophy ceremony at the Irish Open in Doonbeg, Ireland, drawing whistles and cheers from the spectators.
Trump said he had received repeated requests to lift the duty from Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, golfers, and other people. Tournament winner Shane Lowry was among those who raised the issue, according to the president.
Earlier Decisions Created an Imbalance
Irish whiskey currently faces the standard tariff applied to most imports from the European Union. That rate was lowered from 15% to 10% in July, but the new announcement would eliminate the remaining duty on the product.
The United Kingdom had already received different treatment after Trump announced a tariff break for its whiskey in April. Because the measure included Scotch and spirits produced in Northern Ireland, it created an imbalance with whiskey made in Ireland.
A zero-tariff policy for Scotch took effect in July, according to the Scotch Whisky Association. AP reported that no immediate details were available on how quickly the Irish whiskey tariff would be removed.
Industry Groups Welcome the Decision
Chris Swonger of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States called the announcement a positive step toward reducing trade barriers. He said the change could support American retailers, restaurants, consumers, and the wider economy during the holiday season.
The Irish Whiskey Association had also requested the removal of the tariff in May. The group argued that eliminating it would help United States companies that sell Irish products and reduce uncertainty for consumers.
References
Superville, D., & Lawless, J. (2026, September 13). Trump says he’s lifting a 10% tariff on Irish whiskey because ‘everybody’s been bugging me’ about it. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-irish-whiskey-e2eaed86e5c13013af92c102ad082b76