Donald Trump has said he will remove all tariffs and restrictions on whisky imports in honour of the King and Queen’s triumphant US State Visit.
The president said the Royal couple ‘got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking’.
In response a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the King sent his ‘sincere gratitude’ to Mr Trump and said he would ‘be raising a dram to the President’s thoughtfulness’.
Mr Trump said on Thursday the lifted restrictions would help Scotland’s ability to work with the state of Kentucky on whisky and bourbon production.
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney hailed the ‘tremendous news’ and said he was grateful to the King for the role he played.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) leader added: ‘Millions of pounds were being lost every month from the Scottish economy’.
In a post on his Truth Social page, Mr Trump 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 [sic] 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.
‘People have wanted to do this for a long time, in that there had been great Inter-Country Trade, especially having to do with the Wooden Barrels used.
US President Donald Trump announced he would remove all tariffs on whisky in honour of the King and Queen as their triumphant State Visit came to an end
‘The King and Queen got me to do something that nobody else was able to do, without hardly even asking!
‘A wonderful Honor to have them both in the U.S.A.’
The Scotch industry is the main customer for Kentucky’s used bourbon barrels and has been importing around £200million-worth per year.
Tariffs implemented by the Trump administration had added ten per cent to importers’ costs and hit sales in Scotland’s whisky industry’s largest export market.
American levies on single malts were set to return this spring with a further 25 per cent charged unless a deal could be struck with the government.
Graeme Littlejohn, director of strategy for the Scotch Whisky Association, said he was ‘delighted’.
‘The industry’s been losing around £4million a week in lost exports to the United States – £150million over the course of the last year while tariffs have been in place,’ he said
‘This is a real boost for the industry and distillers will breathe a sigh of relief now that these tariffs are off.’
Mr Littlejohn added: ‘Perhaps the state visit has been the catalyst for getting this over the line and the King’s added that little bit of royal sparkle to make the deal work.’
As the King and Queen left the US on Thursday night they said they had left a piece of their heart there following the landmark State Visit.
In an official message Charles and Camilla thanked Americans for ‘the warmth of your welcome and the kind support you gave us’ during their four-day trip, which coincided with the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The King and Queen posted a farewell message at the close of their visit, sharing an image of them together at Blair House, where they stayed during the trip
Their Majesties also shared a photo of the New York skyline, which featured the JPMorgan Chase building lit with a Union flag and the Empire State Building in red, white and blue on Tuesday
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Their Majesties said they had left a piece of their heart behind and taken ‘a little of yours back home with us’ following the visit, during which the King met with Mr Trump and gave an historic address to the US Congress.
The message ended: ‘Until the next time… God Bless America.’
They also included an image of the Royal couple at Blair House, the president’s guest lodging opposite the White House, where they stayed during the visit.
Charles and Camilla were photographed looking at each other in the Jackson Place sitting room, dressed in blue and white respectively.
In another image which accompanied the goodbye message, a Union flag was emblazoned on the summit of the JPMorgan Chase building in New York, pictured alongside the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, which was lit in red, white and blue.
The full message said: ‘Farewell and thank you for the warmth of your welcome and the kind support you gave us throughout our first visit to the US as King and Queen, in this, your special anniversary year.
‘We leave a piece of our [heart emoji] behind and take a little of yours back home with us. Until the next time… God Bless America.’
It was signed: ‘Charles R. & Camilla R.’
The King and Queen’s visit – which saw them travel to Washington DC, New York and Virginia – has been seen as a success by commentators, who praised Charles’s speech to Congress and the lifting of whisky tariffs.
Charles and Camilla posted a farewell message at the close of their triumphant four-day State Visit
It had initially been seen as a risk, taking place amid the US-led war in Iran and after Mr Trump’s strong criticism of Nato – he said the military alliance ‘wasn’t there when we needed them’.
But on Thursday the president hailed Charles as ‘the greatest King’ and reportedly called the Royal couple ‘great people’.
Mail columnist Robert Hardman wrote this week that ‘for a few days – at least – the relationship is going to be as “special” as it has ever been’.
At the end of the US visit, the King flew to Bermuda for a solo three-day tour.
Arriving at LF Wade International Airport at dusk, the UK Government’s Airbus flew the Royal Standard and Bermuda flag from the cockpit window.
Charles was greeted by Governor of Bermuda Andrew Murdoch, its Premier David Burt and his wife Kristin while a small guard of honour formed by the Royal Bermuda Regiment stood to attention nearby.
The King was set to receive a ceremonial welcome of pomp and pageantry featuring a 21-gun salute on Friday.
