Scotland's Swinney Presses Trump on $4M Weekly Whisky Tariff Impact

During his visit to Scotland, President Donald Trump faced calls to reconsider the 10% tariff imposed on Scotch whisky exports to the US, a levy that is currently costing the Scottish whisky industry about £4 million weekly. While Trump expressed his appreciation for Scotland and indicated he would "look" at the tariff issue, he gave no firm commitment to remove or reduce the tariffs, noting he was not a big whisky drinker. Scotland's First Minister John Swinney emphasized the uniqueness of Scotch whisky, which can only be produced in Scotland, and argued this justified an exemption from the tariffs to support the significant Scottish economy sector. Swinney planned to raise this issue directly with President Trump during their meetings, highlighting the tariff's impact despite the existing trade deal between the US and the UK. Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed the broader trade relationship, but the whisky tariff remained a contentious point with no immediate resolution. The President's trip included visits to his golf courses and meetings with Scottish officials, where economic concerns such as the whisky tariffs were key topics.