WEST MIFFLIN, Pennsylvania – U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday his intention to significantly escalate tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, proposing an increase from the current 25% to 50%. This move, revealed during a rally in Pennsylvania, is set to intensify pressure on global steel producers and deepen ongoing trade disputes.
"We are going to be imposing a 25% increase. We're going to bring it from 25% to 50% — the tariffs on steel into the United States of America, which will even further secure the steel industry in the United States," President Trump stated. He later confirmed on social media that the heightened tariffs would also apply to aluminum products and are expected to take effect next Wednesday, June 4.
The announcement was strategically made just outside Pittsburgh, where President Trump also highlighted an agreement between Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel. He asserted that this $14.9 billion deal, alongside the tariff increase, aims to safeguard jobs for American steelworkers. Following the news, shares of steelmaker Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. saw a notable surge of 26% in after-market trading, as investors anticipated boosted profits from the new levies.
This doubling of steel and aluminum duties marks a significant escalation in President Trump's global trade strategy. It came mere hours after he accused China of breaching an agreement with the U.S. concerning the mutual rollback of tariffs and trade restrictions on critical minerals.
The proposed tariff hike has drawn swift international criticism. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce promptly denounced the move as "antithetical to North American economic security." Candace Laing, president of the chamber, emphasized in a statement that "unwinding the efficient, competitive and reliable cross-border supply chains like we have in steel and aluminum comes at a great cost to both countries." Similarly, Australia's center-left government condemned the increase as "unjustified and not the act of a friend," with Trade Minister Don Farrell labeling it "an act of economic self-harm that will only hurt consumers and businesses who rely on free and fair trade." Farrell affirmed that Australia, a key U.S. security ally, would "continue to engage and advocate strongly for the removal of the tariffs."
President Trump's address took place at U.S. Steel's Mon Valley Works, a plant that symbolizes both the historical strength and subsequent decline of American manufacturing in the Rust Belt. Pennsylvania, a closely contested state, remains a critical battleground in presidential elections.
The U.S. is the world's largest importer of steel, excluding the European Union, with 26.2 million tons imported in 2024, according to the Department of Commerce. Consequently, these new tariffs are widely expected to drive up steel prices across the board, impacting both industries and consumers.
These proposed tariffs build upon earlier measures implemented by President Trump upon his return to office in January, which included a 25% levy on most imported steel and aluminum that went into effect in March. Previously, he had briefly threatened a 50% tariff on Canadian steel but ultimately reversed course. Under the Section 232 national security authority, these import taxes cover not only raw metals but also a diverse range of derivative products, from stainless steel sinks and gas ranges to air conditioner evaporator coils, horseshoes, aluminum frying pans, and steel door hinges. Data from the Census Bureau, accessed via the U.S. International Trade Commission's Data Web system, indicates that the 2024 import value for the 289 affected product categories totaled $147.3 billion, with aluminum accounting for nearly two-thirds and steel for one-third.
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