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Scotland’s national drink, Scotch whisky, did not receive any special trade terms from President Donald Trump during his recent state visit to the UK. Despite lobbying efforts from industry bodies and governments, including the UK and Scotland, the 10% tariffs on most UK produce entering the US market and the 25% tariff on steel remained unchanged.
Leading up to the state visit, there were positive signals as First Minister John Swinney met with President Trump in the Oval Office to make a case for zero tariffs on Scotch in exchange for zero tariffs on US bourbon and used bourbon casks coming to the UK. However, no deal materialized, and no mention of trade terms for whisky or steel was made during the joint news conference held by Sir Keir Starmer and President Trump at Chequers.
President Trump, while enjoying the lavish royal reception in the UK, did announce a new tech partnership between the US and the UK, focusing on AI, quantum computing, and nuclear power. Despite this, he did not budge on tariffs, emphasizing in a Fox News interview that the US-UK trade agreement was a “done deal” and expressing reluctance to reopen negotiations.
The relationship between the US and the UK, as highlighted during President Trump’s visit, demonstrates the access that the prime minister and Scotland’s first minister have to the US president. While discussions continue on trade terms for Scotch whisky, the broader issues in UK-US relations, such as conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, remain unresolved. Maintaining direct access to President Trump is crucial, but it does not guarantee alignment with his “America First” agenda
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