Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has at last acknowledged that it was King Charles who secured the removal of US tariffs on Scotch whisky, following months of ridicule after he attempted to claim the diplomatic triumph as his own.
Mr Swinney had previously travelled to the White House to lobby President Trump directly, building on conversations held during the president’s Scottish visit last year, but returned without any agreement.
The decisive moment came instead when the monarch intervened during his state visit to Washington in April, convincing Mr Trump to exempt Scotch from the punishing levies.
The First Minister’s earlier efforts to take ownership of the breakthrough turned him into a figure of mockery across social media, spawning a wave of satirical memes.
The 10 per cent tariff, which had taken a significant toll on an industry worth £7.1billion annually, was officially lifted on Friday.Mr Trump had first revealed the exemption following the state visit by King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Washington earlier this year, declaring that the royal couple had achieved what no one else could.
Writing on Truth Social at the time, the President said: “In honor of the King and Queen of the United Kingdom, who have just left the White House, soon headed back to their wonderful Country, I will be removing the Tariffs and Restrictions on Whiskey having to do with Scotland’s ability to work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky on Whiskey and Bourbon, two very important Industries within Scotland and Kentucky.”
Mr Trump pointed to the longstanding trade links between the Scotch and bourbon sectors, noting that most Scottish producers obtain their casks from America.
In a video posted to X on Friday, filmed in a room with views over Glasgow’s SEC, Mr Swinney raised a glass to mark the occasion and credited the monarch directly.
“It’s great news for Scotland. The tariffs on Scotch Whisky in the United States have gone. It’s been confirmed by President Trump and the United States Government,” he said.
He went on to describe the outcome as “a huge Team Scotland effort led by the King, which resulted in Scotch Whisky getting a great deal.”
Mr Swinney characterised the arrangement as “a partnership between Scotland and the United States” and called it “a great boost for Scotch Whisky.”
His accompanying caption on the platform read: “US tariffs on Scotch Whisky are now officially gone. Fantastic news for one of Scotland’s greatest exports, and a big win for businesses, workers and communities on both sides of the Atlantic. Slàinte!”
The First Minister’s concession marks a sharp reversal from his earlier stance. After the King secured the deal in April, Mr Swinney sought to piggyback on the success by highlighting his own lobbying efforts, insisting the tariff reduction had been his idea to benefit both the Scottish and Kentucky economies.
In May, ahead of the election, he went further still, claiming that Mr Trump had sent him a private message commending his contribution, a note said to relate to proposals he had put forward during his Washington trip last September.
The backlash was merciless. Social media users created memes crediting the First Minister with an array of improbable feats, from being the first man on the moon to parting the Red Sea, defeating Hitler and helping Scotland qualify for the World Cup. His team of special advisers scrambled to contain the reputational damage.
The Scotch Whisky Association also directed its gratitude towards the monarch. Ian Duddy, the organisation’s International Director, said: “From Kentucky to Speyside, this will not only benefit the Scotch and US whisky sectors, but our wider supply chains of cooperages, farmers, hospitality and retail.”
Mr Duddy described the outcome as a reflection of the deep and lasting bond between Britain and America.
“This outcome is testament to the strength of the enduring relationship between the UK and the US. On behalf of the Scotch Whisky industry, we are grateful to everyone who worked to make this happen, including His Majesty The King during his recent State Visit,” he added.
The industry body’s praise for the King notably made no mention of Mr Swinney’s lobbying efforts.
