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U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that import tariffs on steel and aluminum will double to 50% starting Wednesday. The move marks the latest step in his broader tariff strategy aimed at shielding domestic industries from foreign competition.
“We're going to bring it from 25% to 50%, the tariffs on steel into the United States of America,” Trump said while addressing workers at a U.S. Steel plant in Pennsylvania. “Nobody's going to get around that,” he added, emphasizing his administration’s commitment to bolstering American manufacturing.
In a post on Truth Social shortly after the speech, Trump confirmed the increased tariff rate would also apply to aluminum, noting that both measures would take effect on the same date.
Earlier in the week, a court ruled that Trump had exceeded his authority in imposing certain trade duties. However, an appellate court decided on Thursday that the tariffs could remain in place while legal proceedings continue. Trump has also implemented sector-specific levies, including a 25% tariff on automobiles and auto parts.
During his remarks, Trump defended his trade approach, asserting that such policies were vital to preserving U.S. manufacturing capacity. He claimed the steel plant where he was speaking would not exist today had similar tariffs not been introduced during his first administration.
Trump’s announcement coincided with what he described as a “blockbuster agreement” between U.S. Steel and Japan’s Nippon Steel. As part of the deal, Nippon Steel will invest $9.2 billion to expand and modernize its footprint across the United States.
The Japanese firm will allocate $2.2 billion to boost steel production at the Mon Valley Works facility in Pennsylvania. An additional $7 billion will be used to upgrade steel mills, expand ore mining operations, and build advanced manufacturing sites in Indiana, Minnesota, Alabama, and Arkansas.
Calling Japan “a tremendous friend” and Nippon Steel “a great partner,” Trump said the agreement would “create and save over 100,000 American jobs,” positioning it as a major achievement in revitalizing the U.S. industrial base.
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