Scotland’s biggest exporters to the United States have expressed disappointment with Donald Trump’s new 10% tariffs and called for negotiations to continue.
The US President unveiled plans at the White House which will see the import tax apply at varying rates for different countries, affecting products like whisky and salmon.
One distillery owner told News the announcement was a “big blow” for the industry, which counts the USA as its most important market.
Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said she was “concerned” the new levies would have a “negative impact” on the Scottish economy.
Trump claimed the tariffs would encourage Americans to buy more goods made in the USA rather than overseas, and dubbed his announcement “liberation day”.
America is the the largest export market by value for Scotch whisky, with 2024 figures showing the market was worth £971m to the industry.
The Scotch Whisky Association said it was “disappointed” by the announcement.
A spokesperson added: “We welcome the intensive efforts by the UK government to reach a deal with the US administration, and we continue to support this measured and pragmatic approach towards a mutually beneficial resolution.”
Anthony Wills, who runs the Kilchoman distillery on the Isle of Islay told News the new tariff would have a big impact on the whisky industry.
He said: “For us personally, it represents 10% of our sales. So it’s clearly going to be a big blow, especially with the current economic headwinds that we’re all experiencing, we’re all going to find this very difficult and very challenging.”
Single malt whisky was previously hit with a 25% tariff in 2019, during the first Trump presidency – a decision later estimated to have cost the whisky industry around £600m over a two-year period.
That tariff came about due to a battle between the US and the EU over subsidies for plane makers Airbus and its American rival Boeing, a dispute that was settled in 2021.
Mr Wills said he split the cost of the tariff with his US importer last time, so the price would stay the same for their American customers, and expected he would be forced to do the same again.
Salmon producers still ‘confident’
Scotland’s salmon industry is another major exporter affected by the levy.
In 2024 America was the second most common destination for Scottish salmon, behind only France, with £225m worth of exports, out of a total of £844m, heading across the Atlantic.
Tavish Scott, the chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said the sector had “great confidence” Americans would continue to buy their product.
He added: “Salmon producers want a business-like and stable trade relationship with the USA, so we support the UK government’s efforts to achieve that outcome through a calm and measured approach.”
Making the announcement at the White House, President Trump said it would raise “trillions and trillions of dollars” very quickly and claimed that other countries had historically “raped and pillaged” America’s industry, calling them “cheaters”.
He repeatedly insisted that the import taxes would lead to huge wealth for America and would put the country first, as well as praising his own leadership.
The 10% figure is the “minimum baseline”, with some other countries being charged higher rates.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said the Scottish government did not believe Trump’s “unilateral measures” were “the answer” to economic questions.
She said: “The tariffs proposed will clearly have an impact on many Scottish businesses for which the US is an important export market.
“We do not believe unilateral measures by the US are the answer and we are concerned about the negative impact of trade barriers on the Scottish economy.
“We urge the US and all parties to come together and work towards mutually beneficial resolutions.
“We greatly value the strong social, cultural and economic ties Scotland shares with the US and we will work to ensure these continue to flourish.”
Earlier this year the first minister, John Swinney, told Scotland News he hoped Trump’s affinity for Scotland – where his mother came from – would help in negotiations about tariffs.
Swinney had spoken to Trump in December 2024, the month after the businessman defeated Kamala Harris in the US presidential election.
Trade war fears
The Fraser of Allander Institute think-tank earlier this week downgraded forecasts for the Scottish economy, citing “growing unease” among firms – in part due to the concerns about tariffs.
Prof Mairi Spowage, director of the Institute, said the economy was likely to remain “turbulent and uncertain” throughout the year.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he would rule “nothing out” regarding the tariffs but added that he would hope to avoid a “trade war” between the countries breaking out.
President Trump has regularly championed tariffs as a way of boosting the American economy, to the extent that his aide Peter Navarro recently claimed they could raise £6tn for the American economy over the next decade – despite widespread fears it could raise domestic prices and increase inflation.
A new import tax of 25% on all foreign-built cars was also announced by Trump, coming into effect at midnight local time.
A flat duty on all steel and aluminium entering the United States was raised to 25% last month.
Shortly before the president’s announcements, businessman Sir Tom Hunter told the ‘s Scotcast podcast that the push for tariffs didn’t make sense to him and that it would “cause havoc”.
He said: “In terms of global trade tariffs put prices up, they slow economic growth, they cut growth for the companies involved, they create unemployment and they create global tensions.”
