Distilled Spirits Council President and CEO Chris Swonger Statement in Response to the Removal of Türkiye’s Retaliatory Tariff on U.S. Spirits
“We greatly appreciate President Trump’s strong leadership in securing the removal of Türkiye’s 70% retaliatory tariff on U.S. spirits.
“Türkiye currently ranks as the 27th largest market for U.S. spirits due to its prohibitively high retaliatory tariff. Lifting this burdensome tariff significantly increases access to the Turkish market and unlocks valuable new export opportunities for U.S. distillers.
“We urge the Trump Administration to build on this momentum by securing the permanent return to zero-for-zero tariffs for distilled spirits products with our key trading partners. The continued long-term growth for the U.S. spirits industry is dependent on getting back to tariff-free trade in our major markets.”
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Background:
- Türkiye imposed retaliatory tariffs on all U.S. distilled spirits in June 2018 in response to U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs. The tariff was initially set at 70%, increased to 140% on August 15, 2018, and subsequently reduced back to 70% on May 21, 2019.
- Since the imposition of these tariffs, U.S. spirits exports to Türkiye have declined by nearly 36%, from approximately $17 million to $11 million (2018–2024).
- In 2024, U.S. spirits exports to Türkiye totaled $11 million. American Whiskey accounted for nearly 90% of total U.S. spirits exports.
