US President Donald Trump lifted tariffs on key UK imports on Thursday, after a state visit from King Charles III and Queen Camilla appeared to help mend transatlantic relations rocked by a series of political disputes.
“In honor of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, who recently left the White House, immediately returned to their wonderful country, I will be removing the prices and restrictions on Whiskey related to the ability of Scotland to work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky on Whiskey and Bourbon, the two most important industries in Scotland and Kentucky,” said the president of Truth Social.
“People have been wanting to do this for a long time, because there has been a lot of Inter-Country trade, especially related to the used Wooden Barrels. The King and Queen found me to do something that no one else could do, without even asking!” he added.
Queen Camilla, King Charles III, US President Donald Trump, and First Lady Melania Trump stand on the Grand Staircase during an official dinner at the White House on April 28, 2026.
Samir Hussain Image | Getty Images
Trump later told reporters that he “removed all restrictions, so Scotland and Kentucky can start dealing again.”
“I also did it to honor the King and Queen who have just left,” he said.
The UK government confirmed to CNBC on Friday that the changes announced the previous day will apply to all whiskey prices, including those of Irish whiskey.
Last year, the UK became the first country in the world to make a trade deal with the Trump administration after the introduction of the president’s so-called Freedom Days currency. The terms of the UK agreement included a 10% tariff on goods exported to the United States.
That meant that the existing zero-tariff trade zone for traders on both sides of the Atlantic was abolished, imposing new duties on Scotch whiskey and other spirits imported to America from Britain.
The Scotch whiskey industry employs around 40,000 people in Scotland, with whiskey accounting for 23% of all exports by 2025. The industry is also the largest buyer of used bourbon barrels from the United States.
Distiller Donald MacLeod rolls a barrel of whiskey in the warehouse of the Isle of Harris Distillery in Tarbert, Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides, Scotland, April 30, 2025.
Andy Buchanan | Afp | Getty Images
Scottish and UK government officials had called for the return of zero-tax terms on spirits sales, with the Scotch Whiskey Association saying in September it was costing its members £4 million ($5.44 million) a week in lost exports.
The First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, who leads the devolved government in Edinburgh, in a statement after Trump’s announcement that he has made it his goal “to do everything possible to increase the prices of the US on our whiskey.”
“People’s jobs were at risk,” he said. “Millions of pounds were being lost every month from the Scottish economy … I express my gratitude to the President for listening and taking action to raise prices. And Scotland thanks Her Majesty for the important role she played in this incredible achievement.”
The whiskey industry has also been facing the prospect of single malt duty returning to 25% in the coming months if no deal is struck with the White House, as a five-year freeze on those rates expires.
In a statement on Thursday, Mark Kent, CEO of the Scotch Whiskey Association, noted that the US is the industry’s most important export market.
“Distillers can breathe easy at a time of great pressure in the industry,” he said. “For many months, many have worked tirelessly to restore zero-for-zero trading of whiskey and bourbon. The special relationship that the Scotch Whiskey and American Whiskey industries share will be further strengthened by this announcement.”
The King and Queen concluded a four-day state visit to the US on Thursday, which included a series of talks in Washington, DC, including the king’s speech to a Joint Session of Congress, and a state dinner hosted by the president and the First Lady.
King Charles received a standing ovation from Congress after delivering a speech that highlighted the importance of the so-called “special relationship” transatlantic, calling on the UK and the US to stand together in “volatile and dangerous” times.
Britain’s King Charles III is applauded by US Vice President JD Vance and US House Speaker Mike Johnson as he arrives to address a Joint Session of Congress on April 28, 2026 in Washington, DC.
Henry Nicholls-Pool | Getty Images
“The challenges we face are too great for any one nation to carry alone,” he said, before reminding Congress that NATO helped the United States shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s relationship with Trump has soured in recent weeks, as the president clashed with the UK government over its interest in Greenland and requests for aid to Iran.
Earlier in his second term, Trump had described Starmer as a friend, despite their political differences, and said the UK was protected from slavery by his trade policies “because I love them.”
Many observers have praised King Charles for rescuing the “special relationship” from danger during his four-day visit this week.
After Tuesday’s state dinner, Trump called the king “a great friend,” telling reporters: “when you love the king of the country so much, it probably helps your relationship with the prime minister.”
In an emailed statement on Friday morning, Buckingham Palace said the monarch was informed of Trump’s “warm gesture” and “sends its sincere thanks for the decision which will make a significant difference to the British whiskey industry and the livelihoods that support it.”
“His Majesty will be suggesting that the President consider and show hospitality as he is leaving the US,” said a palace spokesman.
Matthew Barzun, who served as US Ambassador to the UK under President Barack Obama, told CNBC’s Tania Bryer on Thursday that King Charles’ power is called soft power. “it certainly increases the base of trust, respect and understanding” between Britain and the United States.
“The job of diplomacy, or a diplomat, is to leave that pool higher than you found it,” he said. “It goes down over time, and sometimes you get a big shock in the system, and you lose a lot of trust, respect and understanding. In that context, I think there were very limited benefits from this visit. I think that pool was raised. It’s higher than before that week, and that’s important.”
