President Trump announced Sunday, Sept. 13 that he's zeroing out the remaining tariff on Irish whiskey, making it duty-free entering the U.S. — a trade-policy reversal he chose to unveil at the trophy ceremony for the Irish Open golf tournament.
Why it matters: The move is the latest example of Trump making tariff policy on the fly at a live event, and it removes one of the last EU product-specific frictions his administration had left in place — even as he told the crowd the old rate on Irish whiskey had become "very unfair" once other spirits got relief and it didn't.
Driving the news:
Trump made the announcement live at the Irish Open trophy ceremony on Sept. 13, telling the crowd "Everyone's been bugging me" about tariff relief.
He named Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin and golfer Shane Lowry among those who'd lobbied him directly for the change.
Irish whiskey had been taxed at 10% entering the U.S. — itself a cut down from an earlier 15% rate under Trump's tariffs on EU goods.
By the numbers:
10% to 0% — the tariff rate on Irish whiskey Trump says he's now eliminating entirely.
15% to 10% — the earlier cut Irish whiskey had already received this year, before Sunday's full removal.
What they're saying: Trump, on why he acted: "It was very unfair because others had the relief and they didn't, so I thought I'd do it." He added, per the Washington Examiner: "On behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off."
The bottom line: Another snap trade concession delivered from a golf-tournament podium rather than a formal policy rollout — official confirmation of when the tariff actually lifts, and whether Ireland or the EU respond, hasn't landed yet.
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