President Donald Trump concluded his two-day visit to Ireland on Sunday by announcing the removal of U.S. tariffs on Irish whiskey, a surprise trade move that drew immediate cheers from the crowd at the Irish Open trophy ceremony.
According to the Associated Press, Trump revealed the decision while presenting the trophy at the golf tournament, saying he had been asked about the issue by “everybody,” including Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and several golfers. The crowd erupted into applause and cheers at the news, with Irish Open winner Shane Lowry among those celebrating.
“Everybody’s been bugging me” to do it, Trump said. “And I said, ‘On behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off'” of Irish whiskey.
Irish whiskey has been subject to the standard 10 percent tariff that Trump imposed on most imports from the European Union, a rate that was reduced from 15 percent in July. The announcement comes after Trump lifted certain tariffs on U.K. whiskey—including Scotch and spirits made in Northern Ireland—in April, following a White House visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. That move had created an imbalance for Irish distillers, who continued to face the higher EU tariff.
The decision was welcomed by the Irish Whiskey Association. Director Eoin Ó Catháin said the sector is “delighted” with the announcement, according to RTE 100. He noted that the U.S. is the industry’s biggest market, representing thousands of jobs and millions in investments, and that it has been under pressure over the past year due to the tariff.
“We’ll continue to work with all of our colleagues in the U.S., in Brussels, here in Dublin to ensure this full tariff liberalisation will take place,” Ó Catháin said.
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States also praised the move. Chris Swonger, the council’s president and chief executive, said in a statement that the announcement is “another positive step toward reducing barriers to spirits trade.”
The tariff relief came just a day after Trump stirred controversy by calling for Irish reunification, a remark that drew attention during his visit. The whiskey announcement appeared to shift the focus to trade and economic ties between the two countries.
A Lighthearted Moment at the Irish Open
Shane Lowry, the Irish Open champion, joked that Irish distillers should send him a check following Trump’s announcement. Speaking at a press conference after receiving his title, Lowry said he had attended a dinner with Trump but the president had not told him he was changing his plans to stay and watch him win, as had been suggested.
“He also announced he was removing tariffs on whiskey because of me … so distillers better start sending me a cheque,” Lowry laughed, according to RTE 100. Asked whether he had pressured Trump to lift the tariffs, Lowry joked, “I’ll take credit for that.”
The announcement marks a notable shift in U.S. trade policy toward Ireland, which has been caught in the broader tariff regime applied to European Union goods. While the 10 percent rate was lower than the original 15 percent, Irish whiskey producers had argued that the disparity with U.K. spirits put them at a competitive disadvantage in the American market.
Trump’s visit to Ireland included the Irish Open, where he presented the trophy to Lowry. The president’s decision to stay for the final day of the tournament had been unexpected, and his announcement during the ceremony added an element of surprise to the event.
The removal of tariffs is expected to provide relief to Irish whiskey exporters, who have faced declining sales in the U.S. since the tariffs were implemented. The U.S. market accounts for a significant portion of Irish whiskey exports, and industry groups had been lobbying for relief for months.
While the announcement was met with enthusiasm in Ireland, it remains to be seen whether the tariff removal will be permanent or part of a broader trade negotiation. Ó Catháin indicated that further work is needed to ensure “full tariff liberalisation” takes place, suggesting that discussions with U.S. and EU officials will continue.
For now, the move is being celebrated by distillers and politicians alike, with Trump’s parting gift to Ireland providing a positive note at the end of a visit that had also included a contentious political moment.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2026/09/14/slainte-trump-scraps-10-tariff-on-all-irish-whiskey-as-parting-gift/