Trump doubles steel, aluminum tariffs: What that means for you
FILE-President Donald Trump greets attendees while arriving at the US Steel Corporation Irvin Works facility in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, US, on Friday, May 30, 2025. (Rebecca Droke/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
President Donald Trump plans to raise almost all his tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum on Wednesday.
Foreign-made steel and aluminum are used in household products like soup cans and paper clips, stainless-steel refrigerators, and cars.
Here’s what you need to know.
Why is Trump increasing tariffs on steel and aluminum?
Dig deeper:
President Donald Trump claims it's about protecting U.S. industries. Trump repeated that stance last Friday, when he first announced the 50% tariff during a visit with steelworkers in Pennsylvania, where he also discussed a "planned partnership" between U.S. Steel and Japan’s Nippon Steel.
The Associated Press reported that Trump also said Tuesday that the higher tariffs would ensure that imported steel and aluminum would "not threaten to impair the national security."
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"In my judgment, the increased tariffs will more effectively counter foreign countries that continue to offload low-priced, excess steel and aluminum in the United States," Trump said.
Steel and aluminum imports are currently taxed at 25%. The AP reported that Trump signed an executive order on March 12 to remove steel exemptions and raise aluminum’s levy from his previously imposed 2018 import taxes.
What products will be impacted by the steel and aluminum tariffs?
Why you should care:
Steel and aluminum are used in a variety of products like washing machines, consumer electronics and cars. The auto industry relies on a global supply chain, and repairs on a car may involve parts that use imports of either metal, increasing maintenance and ownership costs.
RELATED: Trump's 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports take effect
Moreover, steel and aluminum are also present in the packaging of foods, including canned tuna, soup, and nuts. Raising import taxes on these materials may lead to higher grocery prices, impacting consumers financially, experts explain to the AP.
The construction and transportation industry will also feel the effect of aluminum and metal tariffs with many primary building parts and materials are manufactured with these metals.
Will there be any exceptions to the new tariff hikes?
Local perspective:
The new 50% tariff rate will apply to nearly all steel and aluminum coming into the U.S. from other countries. But the U.K., which recently reached a sweeping trade agreement with the U.S., will see an exception.
According to the Associated Press, as part of the trade deal reached between the two countries on May 8, the U.K. told the AP that the U.S. agreed to slash its current 25% duties on British steel and aluminum down to zero. That exemption had yet to go into effect in the weeks following — but in his proclamation issued Tuesday, Trump acknowledged that it was "necessary and appropriate" to implement the deal, and would "accordingly provide different treatment" for these metals coming from the U.K.
Per Trump's proclamation, the duty on British steel and aluminum will now stay 25%. But that rate could be adjusted starting on July 9 if the U.S. government determines that Britain has not complied with the framework.
The AP noted that Trump's planned hikes for steel and aluminum tariffs for the rest of the world could spur retaliation from other trading partners.
The Source: Information for this story was provided by the Associated Press, which offers background on the steel and aluminum tariffs, and cites industry experts on the tariffs. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.