Trump Announces Plan to Double Steel and Aluminum Tariffs to 50%
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he plans to double tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from 25% to 50%, intensifying pressure on global producers and escalating his ongoing trade war.
“We are going to be imposing a 25% increase—taking it from 25% to 50%—on tariffs for steel imports into the United States of America, which will further secure the U.S. steel industry,” Trump said during a rally in Pennsylvania.
The announcement was made just outside Pittsburgh, as Trump promoted a $14.9 billion deal between Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel. He said both the acquisition and the tariff increase were aimed at preserving American steel jobs.
Shortly after the event, Trump confirmed on social media that the increased tariffs would also apply to aluminum imports, with the changes set to take effect on Wednesday.
Following the announcement, shares of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc (CLF.N) surged 26% in after-hours trading, as investors anticipated the new levies would boost the company’s profit margins.
The tariff hike marks a sharp escalation in Trump’s global trade strategy and came only hours after he accused China of reneging on a mutual agreement to scale back tariffs and restrictions on critical minerals.
The move drew swift international backlash. Canada’s Chamber of Commerce condemned the increase as “antithetical to North American economic security.”
“Unwinding the efficient, competitive, and reliable cross-border supply chains like those in steel and aluminum comes at great cost to both countries,” said Candace Laing, president of the chamber, in a statement.
Australia’s center-left government also criticized the decision, calling it “unjustified and not the act of a friend.”
“These are acts of economic self-harm that will only hurt consumers and businesses who rely on free and fair trade,” said Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell. He added that Australia—a key U.S. ally in the Indo-Pacific—would continue to advocate for the removal of the tariffs.
Trump delivered his remarks at U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works, a symbolic location representing both the former might and the decline of American manufacturing in the Rust Belt. The visit also carried political weight, as Pennsylvania remains a pivotal battleground in presidential elections.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S.—excluding the European Union—is the world’s largest importer of steel, bringing in 26.2 million tons in 2024. The increased tariffs are expected to drive up steel prices, impacting both industrial production and consumers.
Tariffs on steel and aluminum were among the first major trade actions Trump implemented upon returning to office in January. The original 25% tariffs, introduced in March, targeted most imported metals. While Trump previously floated the idea of a 50% levy on Canadian steel, he ultimately held back.
The expanded tariffs fall under Section 232 of U.S. trade law, which allows the president to impose duties on imports deemed a threat to national security. The scope includes both raw materials and finished products such as stainless steel sinks, air conditioner coils, horseshoes, aluminum pans, and steel door hinges.