Trump cuts Ireland’s whiskey tariff as a parting gift
The president said Ireland’s distillers would no longer face tariffs as a thank-you gesture for his hosting of the Irish Open golf tournament.
In the closing ceremony of the Irish Open, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he will remove a 10% U.S. tariff on Irish whiskey products, crowding a crowd of supporters at the prestigious tournament. The crowd erupted in cheers as Trump presented the winner's trophy to Ireland's Shane Lowry, alongside Ireland's Prime Minister Micheál Martin.
This U-turn comes as a parting gift to Ireland, as the United States had been the primary export market for Irish distillers. However, they have faced a competitive disadvantage since May when Trump removed tariff charges on U.K. whiskey exports. Trump's decision was reportedly influenced by Ireland's attempt to curry favor with him, by hosting the country's premier annual golf tournament at his resort in Doonbeg.
Trump claimed he had discussed the issue over dinner with Lowry, Rory McIlroy, and other Irish pro golfers, who had all been urging him to act on the unfair tariffs. The U.S. rate had been set at 10% following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to invalidate parts of Trump's previous punitive tariffs regime, including a previous 15% rate on Irish whiskey.
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