U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States will remove tariffs on Irish whiskey, announcing the decision at the end of his two-day visit to Ireland. Trump made the announcement before presenting the Irish Open trophy to winner Shane Lowry at his golf resort in Doonbeg, County Clare.
Trump said he had discussed the issue with Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Lowry before deciding to remove the tariff. “Everybody’s been bugging me,” he told the crowd before saying he would take the tariffs off Irish whiskey.
Irish whiskey from the Republic had previously faced a 15% tariff under the U.S.-EU trade arrangement, which was later reduced to 10%. Whiskey produced in Northern Ireland and elsewhere in the U.K. already had its tariff removed, creating different treatment for producers on either side of the Irish border.
The White House had not published a separate implementation notice for the Irish whiskey exemption at the time of writing, and Trump did not give a date for when it would take effect. Official presidential announcements and actions are published through the White House news section.
Tariff Change Removes Cross-Border Disparity
The earlier removal of tariffs on U.K.-made whiskey had benefited producers in Northern Ireland, while distillers in the Republic continued to face the U.S. duty. The Irish Whiskey Association had previously called for the restoration of tariff-free trade, saying Irish whiskey exports to the U.S. were worth about €450 million annually.
Some Northern Irish brands were still affected because they bottle whiskey produced by suppliers in the Republic, including the Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk. Those products could be classified as EU-made rather than U.K.-made.
Trump Repeats Support for a United Ireland
The tariff announcement came after Trump repeated his support for Irish reunification during the visit. He said putting Northern Ireland and the Republic together appeared to him to be “one of the naturals of all time,” while describing the comment as his personal opinion.
Martin said Trump’s position did not surprise him and described some of the reaction as an overreaction. Trump declined to extend the discussion to Scottish independence.
Trump had met Martin and Irish President Catherine Connolly in Dublin on Saturday before spending Sunday at the Irish Open. The Irish presidency confirmed Trump’s visit to Áras an Uachtaráin.
More than 10,000 people joined an anti-Trump march in Dublin on Saturday, while around 100 protesters gathered in Doonbeg on Sunday. Three women were also arrested after trespassing on the golf links on Saturday evening.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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