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Trump Doubles Steel Tariffs to 50% – What Does That Mean for Us?
On May 31, 2025, US President Trump announced that steel tariffs would be doubled to 50% in order to protect domestic industry.
Trump Doubles Steel Tariffs to 50% – What Does That Mean for Us?
Today, May 31, 2025, US President Donald Trump announced a doubling of tariffs on steel imports. These tariffs are to be increased from 25 percent to 50 percent of the value of goods. The announcement came in a speech to employees at a steel plant in Pennsylvania, where Trump argued that the additional fees would help strengthen the U.S. steel industry. The US government justifies the new tariffs with the aim of protecting national security. Tariffs on steel and aluminum of 25 percent had already come into force on March 12, 2025, with exemptions for goods from the EU and other countries suspended reports the Tagesschau.
The increase in tariffs could make it significantly more difficult to import steel products into the United States. Trump has announced or implemented numerous other tariffs in the past, including a new 10 percent penalty on almost all imports. Trading partners, including China and the European Union, are directly affected by these measures and are currently negotiating with the United States to avoid possible negative impacts from new trade agreements. The legality of the many tariffs already announced is being examined in various court cases, but the new steel tariffs are not affected states the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Reactions and trading partners
Trump emphasizes that excessive imports endanger US national security. China in particular is accused of flooding the market with cheap metal. About a quarter of the steel used in the United States is imported, with large quantities coming from Canada, Brazil and Mexico. Germany and China are also among the top 10 countries of origin. When it comes to aluminum, the USA imports more than 40 percent and also sources most of its aluminum from Canada as the Tagesschau reports.
Additionally, Trump announced he would increase tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada to a total of 50 percent in response to a price increase for electricity exports from Canada. However, that increase has been temporarily suspended after Ontario rolled back the electricity increases following negotiations with U.S. Commerce Minister Howard Lutnick. The original tariffs of 25 percent still apply to Canada. The EU, which accounts for around 10 percent of steel and 15 percent of aluminum imports to the US, has already responded with retaliatory tariffs on US products and could consider similar measures again reports the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
The new tariffs are the first punitive measures to affect the EU since the start of Trump's second term in office. Additional tariffs are scheduled to be introduced on April 2, 2025, known as reciprocal tariffs. Through these measures, Trump wants to correct the trade imbalance and accuses his trading partners, especially the EU, of unfair trade.