Trump Ditches Tariff on Irish Whiskey After Golf Tournament Pressure

US President Donald Trump made an unexpected announcement at the Irish Open golf tournament on Sunday, stating that he would remove the 10% tariff imposed on Irish whiskey. The decision was met with loud cheers and whistles from spectators.

Trump said that several individuals, including Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin and golfer Shane Lowry, had urged him to reconsider the tariff. He claimed that 'everybody's been bugging me' to drop the duty on Irish whiskey.

The US has maintained a 10% tariff on most imports from the European Union since July, when it was reduced from 15%. Trump's announcement aims to address an imbalance created after he announced in April that certain tariffs on UK whiskey would be lifted. The concession only applied to Scotch and spirits made in Northern Ireland, leaving Irish whiskey subject to a higher trade barrier.

The move has been welcomed by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, with President and CEO Chris Swonger calling it 'another positive step toward reducing barriers to spirits trade'. He added that the decision would provide a welcome boost for retailers, restaurants, consumers, and the American economy during the upcoming holiday season.