Could Trump’s new global tariff scupper the US-EU trade deal?

Plus, are the tables now turning on hybrid working?

Listen | 37:48
President Donald Trump takes questions from reporters after speaking about the Supreme Court's ruling on tariffs at the White House in Washington, Feb. 20, 2026. Photograph: Anna Rose Layden/The New York Times.
President Donald Trump takes questions from reporters after speaking about the Supreme Court's ruling on tariffs at the White House in Washington, Feb. 20, 2026. Photograph: Anna Rose Layden/The New York Times.

First up on this week’s Inside Business are US tariffs. Last Friday, the Supreme Court there ruled that Donald Trump’s tariffs from last year via emergency legislation were illegal.

Trump responded by introducing a 10 per cent global tariff under separate legislation. So, what does this mean for Irish exporters? And what does it mean for the trade deal agreed last year with the European Union?

Cliff Taylor of The Irish Times has been writing about the tariffs decision while Pat Rigney of the Shed Distillery exports gin and whiskey to the American market, which is a huge part of his business. They explain the Supreme Court’s decision and outline what the position is right now for Irish exporters in terms of how much they will have to pay in tariffs.

Also on this episode, we look at the Central Statistics Office figures published last week that showed the number of employees working remotely declined for three successive quarters to the end of 2025. Although just shy of 1 million workers are still working from home.

Louisa Meehan is a HR expert with Woodview HRM and she joins host Ciarán Hancock on the line to tease out whether the tables have turned on hybrid working or if this is just a statistical blip.

Produced by John Casey with JJ Vernon on sound.

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