Trump says US will remove all tariffs on Irish whiskey

Donald Trump said the US will remove all tariffs on Irish whiskey during a trophy presentation to Irish Open winner Shane Lowry in Doonbeg, County Clare. The announcement came as Trump ended his two-day visit to Ireland and left Shannon Airport for Washington.

Whiskey made in the Republic of Ireland currently carries the 15% tariff applied to EU goods entering the US. Whiskey produced in Northern Ireland and elsewhere in the UK is not subject to the tariff.

Trump said he had discussed the issue with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Lowry. He announced the planned removal before presenting the trophy, but the source does not give an effective date.

Northern Ireland’s tariff advantage

If the tariff is removed, it would end an advantage held by some Northern Irish distillers over competitors in the Republic of Ireland. Trump previously announced the removal of tariffs on all UK-made whiskey.

Some Northern Irish brands did not benefit from that earlier decision because of all-island supply chains. Newer distilleries often bottle whiskey made by other companies while their own product matures; the Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk, County Louth, provides this service for brands across the island.

Because of the liquid’s origin, Northern Irish distilleries bottling it were classified as EU rather than UK producers. Trump met Martin and Irish President Catherine Connolly in Dublin on Saturday before attending the final day of the Irish Open.