Trump to double steel and aluminum tariffs to 50%

US President Donald Trump announced Friday that his administration will double tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to 50% starting next week, escalating his protectionist trade agenda aimed at bolstering domestic manufacturing.

Speaking to workers at a U.S. Steel plant in Pennsylvania, Trump declared, “We’re going to bring it from 25 percent to 50 percent, the tariffs on steel into the United States of America. Nobody’s going to get around that.”

Soon after his remarks, Trump confirmed in a post on Truth Social that the higher tariffs will also apply to aluminum imports, with the changes taking effect Wednesday, June 4.

Since returning to office in January, Trump has reimposed sweeping tariffs on both allies and rivals, sparking renewed concerns over global trade tensions and market instability. He has also introduced targeted tariffs on sectors like automotive manufacturing.

Defending his approach, Trump said tariffs are crucial for protecting American industry and claimed the very facility where he was speaking would not have survived without similar tariffs implemented during his previous term.

Nippon steel partnership raises questions

During his speech, Trump highlighted a proposed partnership between U.S. Steel and Japan’s Nippon Steel, emphasizing that “U.S. Steel will continue to be controlled by the USA” and promising no layoffs or outsourcing of jobs.

He announced that Nippon Steel plans to invest $2.2 billion into the Mon Valley Works-Irvin plant and an additional $7 billion to modernize mills, expand ore mining, and build new facilities in Indiana and Minnesota. Trump also reiterated earlier claims that the deal would create at least 70,000 jobs and add $14 billion to the U.S. economy.

Despite this endorsement, Trump revealed later that the deal had not yet received final approval. “I have to approve the final deal with Nippon, and we haven’t seen that final deal yet,” he told reporters after returning to Washington.

Union pushback and political skepticism

The $14.9 billion proposed sale of U.S. Steel to Nippon has sparked bipartisan criticism. President Joe Biden previously blocked the deal on national security grounds before leaving office.

Following Trump’s remarks, the United Steelworkers (USW) union, which represents thousands of U.S. Steel employees, issued a statement expressing concerns over the proposed merger. USW International President David McCall said the union had not been consulted on the matter and emphasized the need to prioritize national security and American jobs.

“We cannot speculate about the meaning of the ‘planned partnership,’” McCall said. “Whatever the deal structure, our primary concern remains with the impact that this merger of U.S. Steel into a foreign competitor will have.”

“The devil is always in the details,” he added.

While Trump opposed Nippon’s acquisition plan during the campaign trail, his recent comments suggest he may now support foreign investment in U.S. steel—under strict conditions.