President Donald Trump has tried to spin his latest U-turn as a gesture made in “honor” of King Charles’s visit to the U.S.
The 79-year-old president, whose mother was an immigrant from Scotland, announced Thursday that he would remove the tariffs he imposed last year on Scottish whiskeys.
“In Honor of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, who have just left the White House, soon headed back to their wonderful Country, I will be removing the Tariffs and Restrictions on Whiskey having to do with Scotland’s ability to work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky on Whiskey and Bourbon, two very important Industries within Scotland and Kentucky,” the royal superfan wrote on Truth Social.
He continued, “The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking! A wonderful Honor to have them both in the U.S.A.”
The president’s tariff rollback, a major trade win for the United Kingdom, underscores his reverence for the 77-year-old king, whom he hailed as “the greatest king in my book” on Thursday in their final meeting of the four-day State Visit.
In what appeared to be a self-own, Trump wrote in his post that there had once been “great” trade between Scotch whisky and Kentucky bourbon producers—ostensibly before his sweeping tariffs disrupted it.
“People have wanted to do this for a long time, in that there had been great Inter-Country Trade, especially having to do with the Wooden Barrels used,” wrote Trump, a teetotaler.
Charles, who has his own brand of whisky, welcomed the president’s decision in a statement.
“The King has been informed of President Trump’s warm gesture and sends his sincere gratitude for a decision that will make an important difference to the British whisky industry and the livelihoods it supports,” a palace spokesperson said in a statement.
“His Majesty will be raising a dram to the President’s thoughtfulness and generous hospitality as he departs the US after a most enjoyable State Visit for both Their Majesties in this special anniversary year.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The British have long argued that scrapping the tariff would benefit U.S. bourbon producers who rely on the trade in barrels used in bourbon production, according to the New York Post.
Imports from the U.K. have been largely subjected to tariffs of around 10 percent for the last year, causing a 15 percent drop in Scottish whiskey shipments from May to December last year, the Post reports.
But U.S. exports of American whiskeys also plummeted 19 percent last year amid struggling sales abroad, according to the Washington Post.
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, which has lobbied for a return to zero percent tariffs on imports and exports of spirits, welcomed Trump’s about-face.
“The removal of the 10% tariff on UK whisky would be a major victory for American hospitality businesses that are deeply impacted by international trade,” the organization’s President and CEO Chris Swonger said in a statement. “This action strengthens transatlantic ties, brings much‑needed certainty to our industry and allows spirits producers on both sides of the Atlantic to grow, invest and support jobs at a critical time.”
U.K. Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle, meanwhile, applauded Charles for his successful charm offensive on Trump. “I’ll be raising a dram to the King tonight after the fantastic news on whisky tariffs,” he wrote on X.
