Scotland First Minister John Swinney is petitioning U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to exclude Scottish whisky from proposed tariffs on all foreign imports. 

Trump has frequently threatened to use tariffs as a negotiating tactic with nations he views as uncooperative, having floated 60-100% levies against China, 25% taxes on goods from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariffs on all imports. According to The Guardian, Swinney had a 20-minute phone call with Trump on December 9, where he stressed the benefits of strong economic ties between Scotland and the U.S., with an emphasis on "the importance of the U.S. market for Scottish exports."

Trump imposed 25% tariffs against Scottish whisky during his previous presidency in 2019, in a dispute over EU subsidies for U.S. planemakers Boeing and Airbus. Those levies were paused in March of 2021, with the Biden administration agreeing to suspend them for the next five years. Although Trump has not specifically singled out Scotland in any of his many threats to impose new trade sanctions, U.S. tariffs on scotch imports will resume in 2026 if he does not intervene.

The Scotch Whisky Association estimates that Trump's tariffs cost the industry £600 million ($760 million) during the 18 months they were in effect, with whisky exports into the U.S. dipping by 30% over that period. The U.S. imported $1.2 billion worth of Scottish whisky in 2023, and represents the largest market by value for the spirit of any country.