Trump imposes heavy tariffs on metals

(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, imposing a 25% duty on all such metals entering the country, effective next month. The move comes despite warnings of potential retaliation from key metal-exporting countries like Canada and Mexico.

“This is a big deal, this is the beginning of making America rich again,” Trump said during his announcement, emphasizing that the tariffs will apply to all countries, with no exceptions. The US is one of the world’s largest steel importers, having purchased $32.99 billion in iron and steel and $28.31 billion in aluminum in 2024, mainly from Canada, Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, and Vietnam.

Trump had previously imposed similar tariffs during his first term, later allowing tariff-free quotas for major trading partners such as Canada and Mexico. As part of his ongoing efforts to protect the US economy, he had previously placed tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China, though some measures were delayed following negotiations with the leaders of Mexico and Canada.

The European Commission has expressed concerns over the new tariffs, calling them “unlawful and economically counterproductive,” with France warning that retaliation against the US is inevitable. A similar situation occurred in 2018 when the EU imposed tariffs on various US goods in response to Trump's earlier metal import duties.

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