News April 03, 2026
Trump Administration Announces New Tariff Rules on Steel, Aluminum & Copper
In the announcement, the president said the proposed tariffs, some as high as 50%, were a matter of national security.
Key Takeaways
• The White House announced new tariff rules imposing up to 50% duties on products made almost entirely of steel, aluminum or copper, with lower rates for partially metal-based goods.
• The policy aims to strengthen U.S. metal manufacturing and national security, with new domestic steel capacity expected to expand significantly over the next two years.
• The increased tariffs – doubling prior rates – could again strain industries reliant on imported metal products, including sectors like promotional goods and housewares.
The White House announced yesterday that the president signed a “proclamation to strengthen tariffs imposed on imported steel, aluminum and copper in order to more effectively address the national-security threat posed by such imports.”
The Trump administration says that the order establishes clear rules for calculating metal tariffs. Under these rules, products made entirely or “almost entirely” of aluminum, steel or copper will be subject to a tariff of 50% of their value. This includes products like steel coils and aluminum sheet.
Derivative products “substantially” made of steel, aluminum or copper would be subject to a 25% tariff.
Certain industrial equipment and electrical grid equipment would be subject to a 15% tariff. Products made abroad but with American steel, aluminum and copper would be subject to a lower, 10% tariff. Finally, products made with 15% or less steel, aluminum or copper would no longer be subject to tariffs under Section 232.
The 50% tariff on products made almost entirely out of aluminum, steel or copper is double the rate that was implemented last year.
The goal of these new tariffs is to continue to bolster America’s steel manufacturing, according to the Trump administration. The release from the White House states that over 4 million tons of new crude steelmaking capacity will become operational over the next two years, concentrated in states like West Virginia, Arkansas and South Carolina, with more planned nationwide.
Previous metal tariffs, which at the time were as high as 25%, put a strain on the promotional products industry, especially suppliers and distributors who sold products like housewares and kitchen items, display stands with steel frames and outdoor products like chairs with steel components.
The president underscored the importance of bringing increased steel production back to the U.S. as a matter of national security last year as he weighed the potential new tariffs.
“Our steel and aluminum industries are coming back like never before,” he posted on social media in June 2025. “This will be yet another BIG jolt of great news for our wonderful steel and aluminum workers.”