Trump says he’ll remove tariffs on Irish whiskey

Trump Pledges to End Tariffs on Irish Whiskey During Ireland Visit

Sandego.net – President Donald Trump said he plans to remove US tariffs on Irish whiskey, using the closing ceremony of the Irish Open at his Doonbeg golf course to make the announcement before a crowd gathered for Shane Lowry’s trophy presentation.

The pledge came at the end of Trump’s short trip to Ireland, where golf, trade and diplomacy shared the spotlight. Irish whiskey is currently subject to a 10% tariff imposed by the Trump administration on most imports from the European Union. The president did not provide a timetable for when the duty would be lifted or details on how the change would be implemented.

“I want to mention one thing. Taoiseach and I talked about it, and Shane talked about it, and everybody’s been bugging me. They’re saying, ‘Would you do me a favor? It’s so unfair what’s going on. Could you possibly take the tariffs off of Irish whiskey?’”

Trump then told the audience that he would act on the request on behalf of the United States, prompting a loud reaction from those in attendance.

“And I said, on behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off,”

Trade Message at a Golf Tournament

The Irish Open ceremony offered Trump a high-profile setting to highlight the announcement. He presented the tournament trophy to Lowry at Doonbeg, the golf resort owned by the Trump family on Ireland’s Atlantic coast. Trump became the first sitting US president to attend the Irish Open during the visit.

Although Trump does not drink alcohol, his tariff pledge was framed as a gesture toward Ireland and its trade relationship with the United States. Irish whiskey is one of the country’s most recognizable exports, and tariffs can increase the cost of imported products for US distributors, retailers and consumers.

The proposed move resembles an earlier concession involving whisky from another part of the British Isles. After the April state visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla, Trump removed tariffs on certain Scottish whiskey products. The Irish announcement appeared intended to extend a similar trade accommodation to Ireland.

Any formal removal of the tariff would require further details from the administration, including the products covered and the effective date. The declaration nonetheless gave Trump a favorable economic message as his trip drew to a close.

Meetings With Irish Leaders

Trump met Irish President Catherine Connolly and Taoiseach Micheál Martin during his time in Ireland. He said trade was among the subjects discussed in his bilateral meeting with Martin, while stressing the importance of ties between the two countries.

“Big relationship with Ireland,”

Trump said of the US connection with Ireland, adding that it would continue to grow stronger.

Martin also used the trophy presentation to emphasize the longstanding links between the two nations. His remarks recognized the Trump family’s investment in the Doonbeg property and described the resort as an important golf destination.

“The Trump family in particular have invested very heavily in the recent decade in this golf course, making it an exceptional and one of the great key golf courses now anywhere in the world,”

Martin said.

“In many ways, the last four days reflects also the very strong relationship, the strength of an enduring relationship between the United States of America and Ireland. We are tied together by history, by family, by friendship,”

he added.

Political Tensions Accompany the Visit

The trip was not without controversy. Trump made remarks supporting Irish unification, calling it “fantastic,” a position that drew resistance from the UK government. The comments added a political dimension to a visit otherwise centered on meetings with Irish officials, the Irish Open and the president’s own golf property.

Trump spent much of the weekend at Doonbeg, away from demonstrations that took place Saturday in Dublin as well as in the Doonbeg and Shannon areas. Inside the resort, the president received a far warmer reception. He was greeted by chants of “U-S-A” in the crowded members bar Saturday evening and was cheered again during Sunday’s trophy ceremony.

The contrast underscored the different reactions generated by the visit: official discussions focused on trade and the US-Ireland relationship, while protests and political criticism unfolded elsewhere in the country.

“We’re so proud of the whole Doonbeg, and, frankly, Ireland itself has been so incredible, so inviting,”

Trump said.

For Irish whiskey producers and US importers, the key question now is whether the president’s public commitment becomes a formal trade change. If the 10% tariff is eliminated, it would remove a cost imposed on Irish whiskey entering the American market and could be seen as a tangible outcome from Trump’s meetings in Ireland. The announcement also placed a trade policy decision alongside the ceremonial conclusion of one of Ireland’s major golf events.