US President Donald Trump announced he will lift all tariffs on Irish whiskey at the end of his two-day visit to Ireland. He made the announcement before handing over the winner’s trophy at the Trump International golf resort in Doonbeg, Co Clare, to Irish Open winner Shane Lowry. Whiskey distilled in the Republic of Ireland faces the standard 15% tariff which applies to EU goods entering the US, while whiskey made in Northern Ireland or elsewhere in the UK has no tariff. It comes after Trump doubled down on his support for a united Ireland and said joining Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland was “one of the naturals of all time”.
He spent day two of his visit to Ireland watching the final day of the Irish Open. On Saturday, Trump was in Dublin where he met with Taoiseach (Irish PM) Micheál Martin and Irish President Catherine Connolly. Addressing the crowd before the trophy presentation, Trump said he had discussed whiskey tariffs with Martin and with golfer Lowry. “Everybody’s been bugging me,” he said.
“They are saying would you do me a favour? It’s so unfair what’s going on. “Could you possibly take the tariffs off of Irish whiskey and I said, on behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off Irish whiskey.” The presentation ceremony marked the end of Trump’s two-day trip to Ireland before boarding Air Force One at Shannon Airport and departing for Washington. Whiskey tariff analysis – BBC News NI economics and business editor John Campbell: Assuming the Trump tariffs on Irish whiskey are removed it will end the advantage that some Northern Ireland distillers had over competitors in the Republic of Ireland.
That is because producers north of the border were covered by the removal of tariffs on all UK-made whiskey which Trump announced in May. All-island supply chains meant that some NI whiskey brands could not benefit from the earlier tariff cut. Newer distilleries bottle whiskey produced by other companies while they wait for their own product to mature. This service is dominated by the Great Northern Distillery in Dundalk, County Louth which produces whiskey under licence for brands across the island.
It means the NI distilleries bottling that liquid have been classified as EU rather than UK producers. On Saturday, Trump told reporters he would love to see a united Ireland while at a meeting with Micheál Martin. Speaking on Sunday at his Doonbeg golf resort, he said it would be natural to put Ireland and Northern Ireland “together”. He spoke to reporters after watching Lowry tee off.
He described what he said about a united Ireland as “a fairly routine comment”. “I’ve always loved the people of Ireland. It just seems to me you have Northern Ireland and Ireland,” he said “It seems that one of the naturals of all time is to put them together. “That’s only my opinion, and by the way many people agree.” The president sidestepped a question about Scottish independence.
“I won’t talk about Scotland yet I will save that,” he said. Asked about Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s remarks that there would be no poll on Irish unity until a majority in Northern Ireland were likely to vote in favour, Trump added: “Everybody says that and then things happen.” Trump’s comments on a united Ireland may have targeted audience across the Atlantic What’s next after Donald Trump’s united Ireland comments? The taoiseach said the president’s remarks did not come as a “surprise” to him. “He would make the point this is his view.
He believes unity is the logical way for the island to be configured and organised,” Martin said. He added: “I think some of the reaction is an overreaction. It shouldn’t be a surprise. He takes a different sort of perspective on things.” More than 10,000 people marched through Dublin on Saturday to show their opposition to the US president.
Others protesting against the visit arrived in buses to Doonbeg on Sunday, with about 100 protesters present. A small crowd were moved from the president’s hotel by Gardai (Irish police), Irish broadcaster RTÉ is reporting. On Saturday evening, three women were arrested for trespassing on the golf links at Doonbeg and appeared at a special sitting of Ennis District Court. Rev Steven Foster, a Methodist minister from Galway, attended the anti-Trump protest in Doonbeg.
“I’m here because Trump is the exact opposite of everything I stand for as a follower of Jesus,” he told BBC News NI. Foster added: “As a church leader, it’s important for me to be visible, and the church needs to be visible in this regard.” Foster said the “type of welcome he has been given sends out a terrible message”. However, others have praised Trump for the benefits and jobs his golf course brings to the local area. Martin Kelly is a local businessman from Doonbeg and said the village is “very fortunate” to have the Trump International Golf Course.
“It’s a massive employer here to be honest with you,” he told BBC News NI. “There’s nothing else about here at that scale; they’re very decent people to work for, they’re very fair.” He said local people are “very proud” that the golf tournament took place there. Seoirse Comerford owns the Comerford bar in Doonbeg. He described the tournament as “unbelievable”.
He said the golf course is a big employer and is keeping Doonbeg “alive”. “Most rural villages in west Clare are all dying a death, young people going away to college, they don’t come back. “Like there’s over 300 people employed up there at the golf course , it’s a big boost to the local economy. You’ve got big companies in Dublin, like Intel, the golf course is our Intel down here.” United Ireland would be a ‘great thing’, says Trump during first day of Irish visit Trump’s comments on a united Ireland may have targeted audience across the Atlantic Trump jokes about united Ireland comments From JFK to Biden, Trump joins well-trodden path to the Emerald Isle
