President Donald Trump announced he’s increasing steel tariffs from 25% to 50% during remarks at a U.S. Steel factory in Pittsburgh on Friday.
Trump said that raising the tariffs, which are not impacted by this week’s court ruling blocking many of his levies, would further protect the U.S. steel industry.
“At 25%, they can sort of get over that fence. At 50%, they can no longer get over the fence,” Trump said.
Trump imposed a 25% blanket tariff on steel and aluminum imports in March. He also targeted steel and aluminum imports during his first term, levying 25% tariffs on five classifications of steel articles and a 10% tariff on six types of aluminum products in 2018.
Trump was in Pittsburgh to tout Japan-based Nippon Steel’s pending acquisition of U.S. Steel. During his remarks, Trump maintained that the American steel company will remain controlled by the U.S.
