Scotch whisky distillers have called for “zero-tariff trade of whiskies across the Atlantic” in the wake of Donald Trump’s resounding victory in the US election.

Trump’s return to the White House has raised the prospect of the US reintroducing import tariffs on single malt Scotch whisky – and other foreign goods – of up to 20%, amid the expectation that the President-elect will again favour protectionist trading policies.

First Minister John Swinney expressed concern yesterday that a new Trump presidency could be “very damaging” for the whisky industry.

A tariff regime in place during the first Trump presidency, which had its roots in a trade dispute between the US and European Union over aircraft subsidies, is estimated to have resulted in £600m of lost exports of single malt over an 18-month period, from October 2019 to March 2021. Exports of Scotch whisky were worth £978m in 2023, figures from the Scotch Whisky Association show.


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Asked to comment on the ramifications of Trump returning for a second spell as president of the US, a spokesperson for the SWA said: “Scotch whisky and US whiskey producers are united in our belief that zero-tariff trade between the US and UK is in the best interests of our countries, consumers and industries.

“Our world-class whiskies have benefited from zero-tariff trade for over a quarter of a century. It is in all our interests that our collective energy is focused on growing our sectors, creating jobs and investment.

“As Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said, the UK and US stand shoulder to shoulder and are partners in enterprise. To deepen this partnership, the US and UK administrations should agree to maintain the zero-tariff trade of whiskies across the Atlantic.”

Allan Hogarth, executive director of the Scottish North American Business Council, which helps firms in Scotland establish trading links across the Atlantic, said the organisation “looks forward to working with incoming President Trump, who has already invested heavily in successful golf resorts in Scotland and has a strong family affinity to Scotland”.

He added: “We hope that the campaign threat of an imposition of tariffs on Scottish imports will not come to pass, as that will not only damage the prospects of exports to our biggest export market but will simply add costs to our valued USA customers.”

Rain Newton-Smith, chief executive of the Confederation of British Industry, said: “The CBI congratulates Donald Trump on his election as President of the US. President-elect Trump will play a major role in governing the world’s largest economy and how that impacts domestically as well as internationally on businesses and communities.

“Continued inflationary pressures, disruption to supply chains, labour market shortages and cyber-security threats remain issues across the globe. With geopolitical fragility in the Middle East and Ukraine, now is the moment for unity and collaboration and for countries to work together with international institutions.

“As Britain’s largest export market, a successful trading partnership with the US remains key to the UK and businesses here.”