WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump on Monday followed through on his recent pledge to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, cracking down on exemptions that were in place as he continues to make levies on foreign countries a central part of his trade and economic agenda. 

What You Need To Know

  • President Donald Trump on Monday followed through on his recent pledge to impose 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, cracking down on exemptions that were in place as he continues to make levies on foreign countries a central part of his trade and economic agenda
  • The proclamations signed by the president on Monday extend and build upon those he imposed in 2018, White House officials told reporters
  • The new actions raise the tariffs on aluminum from the 10% he imposed in his first term to 25% and seek to eliminate product exclusions, alternative arrangements and exemptions from levies on imports of both metals that White House officials said were abused by other countries over the previous administration
  • The new proclamation will also put in place new "melted and poured" standard for steel and "smelted and cast" standard for aluminum in North America in what White House officials said was a bid to prevent circumvention of the metals from countries such as China and Russia through those such as Mexico and Canada

“It’s a big deal,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office as he signed the steel proclamation. “This is the beginning of making America rich again.”

The proclamations signed by the president on Monday extend and build upon those he imposed in 2018, White House officials told reporters. The new actions raise the tariffs on aluminum from the 10% he imposed in his first term to 25% and seek to eliminate product exclusions, alternative arrangements and exemptions from levies on imports that White House officials said were abused by other countries over the previous administration. 

“We were being pummeled by both friend and foe alike,” Trump said, adding that Monday’s actions will help spark a “resurgence of U.S. manufacturing and production” as he looks to bolster domestic manufacturing. 

The new proclamations will also put in place new "melt and poured" standard for steel and "smelt and cast" standard for aluminum in North America in what White House officials said was a bid to prevent countries such as China and Russia from using those such as Mexico and Canada to get the metals into the U.S. The president also expanded the steel tariffs to include downstream products in what the White House officials said was an effort to close loopholes. 

“It’s 25% without exceptions or exemptions and that’s all countries, no matter where it comes from,” Trump stressed.

The four biggest sources of steel imports are Canada, Brazil, Mexico and South Korea, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.

Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, billionaire Howard Lutnick, joined the president in the Oval Office for the signing, claiming that the strengthened tariffs would bring 120,000 jobs back to the United States. It wasn't clear how he reached that number. The primary metals industry added roughly 14,000 jobs during the first 12 months the steel and aluminum tariffs were originally imposed, though gains were quickly erased by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.

Trump first told reporters he was set to implement the 25% tariffs on Air Force One over the weekend. He also said he will be announcing “reciprocal tariffs” this week on countries with similar policies on certain U.S. goods and industries. 

It comes after the president delayed implementation of his long-pledged 25% levies on goods imported from Mexico and Canada in what he says is an effort to level the trade playing field and force the countries to crack down on illegal immigration and the flow of fentanyl. Trump did however recently move ahead on placing an additional 10% on goods from China, citing to immigration and fentanyl concerns. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.