Trump doubles tariffs on steel, aluminum

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said he plans to increase tariffs on foreign imports of steel and aluminum to 50 percent from 25 percent, ramping up pressure on global steel producers and deepening his trade war.

"We are going to be imposing a 25 percent increase. We're going to bring it from 25 percent to 50 percent – the tariffs on steel into the United States of America, which will further secure the steel industry in the United States," he said at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Trump announced the tariff increase on steel products during a speech just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he highlighted an agreement between Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel. He said the $14.9 billion deal, like the tariff hike, will help protect jobs for steel workers in the U.S.

Later, he added the increased tariff would also apply to aluminum products and take effect on June 4. "Our steel and aluminum industries are coming back like never before," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

Earlier, Trump accused China of violating an agreement with the U.S. to mutually roll back tariffs and trade restrictions on critical minerals.

He did not specify how China violated the Geneva agreement or what actions he would take against Beijing.

The steel and aluminum tariffs were among the earliest imposed by Trump when he took office in January. The 25 percent tariffs on most steel and aluminum imports went into effect in March. Trump had briefly threatened a 50 percent levy on Canadian steel but ultimately backed off.

Under the so-called Section 232 national security authority, the import taxes cover both raw metals and derivative products, including stainless steel sinks, gas ranges, air conditioner evaporator coils, horseshoes, aluminum frying pans and steel door hinges.

The total 2024 import value for the 289 product categories was $147.3 billion, with nearly two-thirds aluminum and one-third steel, according to Census Bureau data accessed through the U.S. International Trade Commission's DataWeb system.

The U.S. is the world's largest steel importer, excluding the European Union, with 26.2 million tonnes of imported steel in 2024, according to the Department of Commerce. As a result, the new tariffs are likely to increase steel prices across the board, affecting both industry and consumers.

(Cover: U.S. President Donald Trump tours U.S. Steel – Irvin Works to mark the deal between Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, May 30, 2025. /VCG)