On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that he is doubling U.S. tariffs on imported steel to 50%, while also endorsing the sale of U.S. Steel (NYSE:X) to Japan’s Nippon Steel.
What Happened: Speaking at a U.S. Steel facility in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, Trump called the 50% tariff hike a “major announcement” aimed at revitalizing the American steel industry and protecting domestic jobs, reported CNN.
“We are going to be imposing a 25% increase,” Trump said. “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. Nobody’s going to get around that.”
Trump said he initially considered a 40% tariff but raised it after feedback from industry leaders. “At 25% they can sorta get over that fence,” he said, adding, “At 50% nobody’s getting over that fence.”
The new tariffs will take effect on Wednesday, June 4, he informed later via a post on Truth Social.
Trump also celebrated Nippon Steel’s acquisition of U.S. Steel, which had previously been blocked by former President Joe Biden on national security grounds.
“US Steel was being sold into foreign hands with no protections for our great steel workers,” the President said. “And I said there’s no way we’re gonna let that happen. I was watching over you.”
Why It’s Important: On March 12, Trump enacted broad 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, prompting swift retaliation from Canada and drawing criticism from the U.S. auto sector.
The EU also responded with plans for counter-tariffs, which were later withdrawn, the report added. Since the March announcement, domestic steel prices have climbed as U.S. producers faced less foreign competition.
Back in 2018, when similar tariffs were implemented during Trump’s first term, U.S. steel production rose slightly.
However, according to a 2023 report by the International Trade Commission, these tariffs also drove up prices for vehicles, machinery, and tools, reducing output in those sectors by over $3 billion by 2021, suggesting the economic costs may have outweighed the benefits, the report said.
According to U.S. Commerce Department figures, the country imported $31.3 billion in iron and steel last year. Canada was the leading supplier, sending $7.6 billion worth of those materials to the U.S.
Read Next:
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
