President Donald Trump has promised an end to the 15% tariff on Irish whiskey.
Trump was attending the Amgen Irish Open at his Trump International Golf Links resort in Doonbeg, County Clare — and he took the microphone at the contest’s close to present a trophy to Irish golfer Shane Lowry, who won the tournament.
“This is an honor. We’re so proud. The whole Doonbeg — and frankly, Ireland itself has been so incredible, so inviting, and we’re very honored presenting you with a great course, it’s been great,” Trump said, but then he pivoted.
“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 whisky?'”
The crowd roared with laughter, and Trump smiled before he continued, “And I said on behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off of Irish whiskey.”
The crowd cheered so loud then that Trump was completely drowned out as he finished his sentence.
“Thank you,” Trump said, turning to Lowry and adding, “Shane, great job.”
Trump was not clear about when the tariffs — currently set at 15% as part of the flat tariffs against many European Union exports — would be lifted. Those tariffs took effect on July 1, 2026.
Previously the president lifted tariffs on whiskey made in the United Kingdom — including Scotland and Northern Ireland — claiming that he’d done so in response to a request in late April from Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla, who had been visiting the White House at the time.
“The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!” Trump said at the time.
The zero-tariff policy on Scotch whisky took effect July 24, a change the Scotch Whisky Association welcomed as “welcome news for business on both sides of the Atlantic.”
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