Washington, February 10, 2025 – The Europe Today: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose new 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports, further escalating his trade policy approach. The new duties, which will be in addition to existing tariffs, are expected to be officially announced on Monday.
“Any steel coming into the United States is going to have a 25% tariff,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday while traveling from Florida to New Orleans for the Super Bowl. When asked if aluminium imports would face similar penalties, he confirmed, “Aluminum, too.”
The move marks a significant shift in U.S. trade policy, reinforcing Trump’s stance on protecting domestic industries from foreign competition. During his first term, Trump had imposed 25% tariffs on steel and 10% on aluminium, though several trading partners, including Canada, Mexico, and Brazil, were later granted duty-free quotas. His successor, President Joe Biden, extended similar exemptions to Britain, Japan, and the European Union. However, U.S. steel mill capacity utilization has since declined.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the new tariffs would be applied in addition to the existing duties.
Reciprocal Tariffs in Focus
Trump also reiterated his plan to introduce “reciprocal tariffs,” expected to be announced later in the week. “If they are charging us 130% and we’re charging them nothing, it’s not going to stay that way,” he stated.
The former president did not specify which countries would be affected, but emphasized that the new duties would be implemented “so that we’re treated evenly with other countries.” On Friday, he had announced his intent to raise U.S. tariff rates to match those imposed by trading partners, further intensifying global trade tensions.
The planned measures are likely to draw strong reactions from major U.S. trade partners and could have significant implications for global supply chains. As Trump prepares for a potential second term, his trade policy signals a return to aggressive protectionist measures aimed at bolstering U.S. manufacturing industries.
