Trump: 25% Tariff on all Steel & Aluminum Imports coming
US President Donald Trump announced that the United States will impose a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports starting Monday. The new duties will apply to shipments from Canada and Mexico, with additional import taxes expected later in the week.
“Any steel coming into the United States is going to have a 25% tariff,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while traveling from Florida to New Orleans. He confirmed aluminum imports would face the same penalty, adding, “Aluminum, too.”
Trump also plans to introduce “reciprocal tariffs” by midweek. These duties will target foreign goods when other nations impose tariffs on U.S. products.
“If they are charging us 130% and we’re charging them nothing, it’s not going to stay that way,” he said.
Market Reaction Turns Negative
Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy marks a shift from his earlier focus on tax cuts and deregulation. He now uses tariffs as both a bargaining tool and a revenue generator to tackle the government’s budget deficit.
Financial markets reacted negatively last week. Stock prices dropped after Trump’s tariff announcement, and consumer sentiment declined amid inflation concerns, according to an Associated Press report.
While Trump provided no further details on the steel, aluminum, or reciprocal tariffs, he noted that he had postponed a 25% tariff on all Canadian and Mexican goods. That delay, set to last 30 days, was announced just over a week ago.
China and Fast-Fashion Tariffs
Meanwhile, Trump has already enforced a 10% tariff on Chinese imports.
On Friday, he announced that tariffs on small packages—often used by fast-fashion giants like Temu and Shein—would be postponed. Customs authorities need more time to determine how to enforce duties on these previously exempt shipments.
As Trump pushes forward with his aggressive trade policies, businesses and consumers brace for economic ripple effects in the weeks ahead.
