President Donald Trump announced Thursday he will remove tariffs restricting trade between Kentucky bourbon makers and Scotland after King Charles III and Queen Camilla concluded their state visit to the United States, according to reporting from the Kentucky Lantern.

Trump announced the removal of certain tariffs on Scotch whisky after King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom visited the White House this week. "The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!" Trump posted on social media.

The president said the tariffs were lifted to specifically enhance the trade of barrels between Scotland and Kentucky, which produces almost all of the world's bourbon. Trump said people had wanted this change, especially with regard to the wooden barrels in which the spirits of Scotch and bourbon can be aged.

The decision marks a significant reversal for Kentucky's signature industry. The 2025 trade framework had placed a 10% tax on most goods imported from Britain, and the Scotch industry saw export volume to the United States fall 15% after those tariffs were announced. For decades, the two regions have relied on a circular economy of timber where Kentucky Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak containers by law, while Scotch Whisky is traditionally aged in used barrels often sourced directly from Kentucky after their first use.

Kentucky industry leaders praised the announcement. The Scotch Whisky Association and the Kentucky Distillers' Association have long advocated for a return to zero-tariff trade, warning that previous uncertainty was cooling investment in the industries. The Kentucky Distillers' Association said the move "restores reciprocal, tariff-free trade between our historic spirits and is especially important for Kentucky, as Scotch distillers have long been the largest export market for Kentucky's used Bourbon barrels."

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell highlighted the economic importance of the decision, noting it comes just days before the 152nd Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville. "Ninety-five percent of the world's bourbon is produced in the Commonwealth and the industry employs more than 23,000 hardworking Kentuckians. This move will give businesses the certainty they need to increase investment in Kentucky's economy. After more than a year of looming high prices and increased costs, Kentucky's bourbon industry and the consumers that support it can be hopeful for the future," McConnell said.

Buckingham Palace responded with a statement calling it a "warm gesture," saying that King Charles "will be raising a dram to the President's thoughtfulness."