In a significant escalation of his trade policies, US President Donald Trump announced today that he will double import tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50 percent, effective next week. This move, delivered during a speech to workers at a US Steel plant in Pennsylvania, marks the latest salvo in his ongoing efforts to safeguard domestic industries.
“We’re going to bring it from 25 percent to 50 percent, the tariffs on steel into the United States of America,” President Trump stated to a blue-collar audience in the battleground state that played a key role in his election victory last year. He emphasized, “Nobody’s going to get around that.”
Shortly after the speech, President Trump confirmed in a Truth Social post that the elevated rate would also apply to aluminum, with the new tariffs becoming “effective Wednesday, June 4th.”
Since reassuming the presidency in January, President Trump has implemented broad tariffs on both allies and adversaries, actions that have disrupted the global trade order and unsettled financial markets. His administration has also levied sector-specific duties on various goods, including automobiles.
During his address today, President Trump defended his trade policies, asserting that tariffs are crucial for protecting US industry. He specifically highlighted that the steel facility where he was speaking would not be in operation if he had not imposed duties on metal imports during his first administration.
