President Donald Trump announced Sunday that the United States will impose a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, with additional reciprocal tariffs on countries that levy duties on U.S. goods. The measures, which Trump said will take effect "almost immediately," mark the latest escalation in the administration's trade policy as the president seeks to reshape global trade relationships.
"Any steel coming into the United States is going to have a 25% tariff," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to New Orleans for the Super Bowl. "Aluminum, too," he added, confirming that the same levy would apply to aluminum imports.
In addition to the blanket steel and aluminum tariffs, Trump said he will unveil reciprocal tariffs later this week. "Very simply, it's if they charge us, we charge them," he said. While he did not name specific countries that would be impacted, he indicated that some trading partners could be exempt if the administration determines their tariffs are aligned with U.S. trade policies.
The tariff announcement comes amid broader shifts in Trump's trade approach, which has increasingly focused on leveraging duties to negotiate concessions from U.S. trading partners. Earlier this month, the president authorized a separate wave of tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China, though he later agreed to a 30-day delay on certain duties imposed on Mexico and Canada.
During his first term, Trump had similarly enacted a 25% tariff on steel and a 10% tariff on aluminum before later exempting key trading partners through duty-free quotas. The latest round of tariffs marks a renewed push to protect domestic industries and penalize foreign nations that, in Trump's view, benefit unfairly from U.S. trade arrangements.
Trump has frequently framed tariffs as a tool to bolster domestic manufacturing, deter illegal immigration, and pressure countries into trade concessions. "If they are charging us 130% and we're charging them nothing, it's not going to stay that way," he said.
Despite Trump's assertions, tariffs are paid by U.S. importers, who often pass the costs on to consumers through higher prices. Critics argue that broad tariffs could disrupt supply chains and raise costs for American businesses and consumers. The United Steelworkers Union, which has historically supported some protective measures for the industry, has called on the administration to reconsider tariffs on Canada and Mexico. "Lashing out at key allies like Canada is not the way forward," the union's international president said earlier this month.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Canada was the largest supplier of steel to the United States last year, followed by Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea. The announcement of new tariffs could further strain relations with these trading partners, particularly as Trump continues to push for economic measures tied to broader policy objectives, such as curbing fentanyl smuggling and addressing illegal immigration.
