President Trump in Ireland: Lifts Irish Whiskey Tariffs, Tells Zelenskyy to Stop Hitting Russian Diesel, Says “Whoever Wins AI Wins”

President Trump closed a two-day Ireland trip Sunday at his Doonbeg course by announcing he will take U.S. tariffs off Irish whiskey, telling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop striking Russian diesel infrastructure, and saying the United States must stay ahead of China because “whoever wins AI wins.” He presented the Amgen Irish Open trophy to Shane Lowry on the 18th green, then left for Washington. The crowd chanted “U-S-A”; some boos were also heard.

At the prize ceremony Trump said Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Lowry had raised the whiskey duty, and that “everybody’s been bugging me.” “They’re saying, ‘Would you do me a favor? It’s so unfair what’s going on. Could you possibly take the tariffs off of Irish whiskey?’ And I said, on behalf of the United States of America, I am going to take the tariffs off.” The gallery cheered. Irish whiskey now carries the 10 percent levy applied to most EU goods after a July cut from 15 percent. Scotch and other U.K. whiskey, including product from Northern Ireland, already move at zero after Trump dropped those tariffs following King Charles’s spring visit. The Irish Whiskey Association said U.S. exports were worth €450 million in 2025 and that Irish distillers bought €80 million in American casks. Association director Eoin Ó Catháin called whiskey the emblem of the U.S.–Ireland trade relationship and said the industry still wants a full zero-for-zero drinks deal. Trump did not give an effective date or a Federal Register notice. Lowry, who won by a record 11 shots at 23-under after a closing 63, joked that distillers “better be sending me a cheque.” Martin was on the green for the presentation.

In a press gaggle on the course earlier, Trump said Zelenskyy “has to stop knocking out diesel fuel in Russia.” “We spoke to Mr. Zelenskyy about it. There are plenty of other targets. Don’t hit diesel fuel. That’s hurting the world.” He said the global shortage “isn’t done by the Middle East, this is done by what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine.” The U.S. national average diesel price crossed $6 a gallon last week, a record on GasBuddy’s tracker. Ukraine has run long-range drone strikes on Russian refineries for months; Moscow banned diesel exports in July. Kyiv calls the plants legitimate military targets. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has separately cited those hits, along with the Iran war, as sources of price pressure. The International Energy Agency said August Gulf diesel and gasoil exports were just over a quarter of pre-Iran-war levels and that Ukrainian attacks on Russian refining compounded the squeeze. Trump rejected the idea that Hormuz and the Iran campaign were the main driver of the diesel spike.

Asked whether the AI industry should slow down or face tighter rules after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Elon Musk, and OpenAI’s Sam Altman called for a pause so safety could catch up, Trump said the United States is “leading China in AI.” “We’re the most sophisticated country in the world, and frankly I want to keep it that way because whoever wins AI wins.” He said Washington “could put guardrails” but that “very negative forces” were “bringing up things that won’t happen.” Former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon has warned publicly that the current pace could be existentially dangerous and that any slowdown would have to include China. Speaker Mike Johnson has also opposed a moratorium on China-competition grounds. Xi Jinping is expected in Washington later this month; AI is on the agenda.

Trump stood by Saturday’s remarks on Irish unification. Asked Sunday for a timeline, he said, “I think it should happen,” and declined to answer a question on Scottish independence. Martin called the reaction to Saturday’s comments an “overreaction.” Unionist leaders in Belfast had already rejected the idea that Washington, Dublin, or London can decide Northern Ireland’s status under the Good Friday Agreement. On Iran, Trump had said Saturday the war would likely end “right after the midterms,” that Tehran “cannot have nuclear weapons,” and that oil would then fall. Sunday’s on-course questions focused on diesel, AI, and whiskey rather than a new Iran timetable. He wore a white “USA” cap, said Doonbeg and Ireland had been “so incredible, so inviting,” and said he stayed Saturday night to “watch Shane win.” Two protesters were charged with public-order offenses near the course. Trump departed Sunday evening.