Donald Trump told the Irish Open trophy ceremony that he's removing tariffs from Irish whiskey

LAST UPDATE | 2 hrs ago

US PRESIDENT DONALD said during his prizegiving speech at the Amgen Irish Open that he will remove tariffs from Irish whiskey.

Trump presented Shane Lowry with the Irish Open trophy in Doonbeg, Co Clare after the Offaly man took the title by a record margin this afternoon.

During the prizegiving ceremony, Trump said that “everybody’s been bugging me” about the Irish whiskey tariffs. 

“Everybody’s been bugging me just saying, would you do me a favour? It’s so unfair what’s going on. Could you possibly take the tariffs off of Irish whiskey? And I said, on behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off,” he said. 

Eoin Ó Catháin, direction of the Irish Whiskey Assocation (IWA) said that the organisation “heartily welcomes” Trump’s announcement.

“Nothing exemplifies the US-Ireland trade relationship better than Irish whiskey,” he said.

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“This relationship represents thousands of jobs and millions in investment on both sides of the Atlantic, and the return to tariff-free trade for our Irish whiskey distillers will strengthen this success and lead to further growth and investment.”

Last year, Irish whiskey exports to the US amounted to €450 million, while Irish distillers collectively purchased €80 million worth of US whiskey casks. 

Ó Catháin added that they would continue to work with US and EU counterparts to “secure a return to the zero-for-zero arrangement for all drinks exports”. 

Whiskey made in Ireland and sold to the US is currently subject to a 10% tariff – but was previously as high as 15%. 

Earlier this year, Trump had said would remove tariffs on Scottish whiskey, following the visit to the US of the UK’s King Charles. 

After that announcement, the Irish Whiskey Association had said that the decision to remove tariffs on Scotch whiskey should “equally apply to Irish spirits trade with the US”. 

Golfing win

Lowry won this weekend’s tournament at Trump International Golf Links in Co Clare, with the US president on site for the past two days of play. 

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Trump presented Lowry with the trophy during a ceremony on the 18th green after joking that he was “supposed to leave this morning”. 

“But I’m going to stay and watch Shane win. And he did win,” Trump said. 

Trump went on to say that Ireland “has been so incredible, so inviting”. 

Trump will leave Ireland this evening following his two-day visit which garnered international headlines and prompted a large protest in Dublin. 

 With reporting by Ottoline Spearman and Jane Matthews