Trump meets Scottish First Minister John Swinney to discuss whisky tariffs

First Minister John Swinney has met President Donald Trump successful nan Oval Office to talk whisky tariffs.

The gathering took spot successful nan Oval Office, wherever nan President was accompanied by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Mr Swinney says he discussed the anticipation for a amended tariff woody for Scotch whisky.

A 50-minute gathering took spot up of nan US President’s State Visit to nan United Kingdom adjacent week.

The First Minister confirmed to Mr Trump he would be nan State Banquet astatine Windsor Palace.

He said: “With nan US authorities sojourn to nan UK conscionable days away, we are now entering nan captious days connected which hopes of a amended tariff woody for Scotch whisky rest. Scotch whisky holds a unsocial position, arsenic it tin only legally beryllium produced successful Scotland.

“During my discussions pinch President Trump, I made nan lawsuit to trim nan tariffs connected nan Scotch whisky manufacture – thing nan US manufacture supports.

“The United States is nan largest marketplace for Scotch whisky but Scottish distillers besides walk hundreds of millions of dollars each twelvemonth buying Bourbon casks from Kentucky.

“The negotiations themselves are, of course, for nan UK negotiating squad but fixed whisky exports to nan US were worthy almost £1 cardinal successful 2024, its value to nan Scottish system cannot beryllium underestimated and I americium wished to do each that I tin to protect and safeguard this iconic Scottish product.”

The First Minister besides raised nan world business including nan ongoing conflict successful Gaza and Qatar.

Mr Swinney is successful nan United States to undertake a bid of waste and acquisition and governmental meetings involving some main US governmental parties.

In a video posted to X, he confirmed he had met Mr Trump and discussed whisky tariffs, successful particular, nan anticipation of nary tariffs connected Scotch whisky.

He said: “I wanted to stock an update connected my sojourn to Washington, DC. I spent nan greeting pinch representatives of nan whisky manufacture from Scotland and nan United States and we discussed nan zero-for-zero attack connected tariffs, which would thief nan manufacture to flourish connected some sides of nan pond.

“I’ve now taken those arguments to nan Oval Office to President Trump, and we’ve had a constructive chat astir nan reasons why Scotch whisky would use from nary tariffs.

“It’s each portion of my occupation to make judge that Scotland’s interests are promoted astatine each times, and that’s what I’ll ever do arsenic First Minister.”

The gathering astatine nan White House was scheduled to past astir 30 minutes and took spot astatine 7pm UK time.

Prior to nan gathering astatine nan White House, nan First Minister met representatives and personnel companies of nan Distilled Spirits Council of nan United States (Discus) and nan Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) astatine Mount Vernon, nan location of US founding begetter George Washington and nan tract of a whisky distillery he opened successful 1798 which was operated by his Scottish workplace hand, James Anderson.

The First Minister flew to Washington DC connected Tuesday, saying he would beryllium “pressing nan case” for a amended tariff woody for Scotch whisky successful cardinal talks successful nan United States.