Former President Donald Trump has expanded existing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, doubling the rates to 50% for most countries. This decision, announced by the Department of Commerce, adds 407 new product categories to the tariffs, which took effect on Monday. The tariff is the continuation of a broader trade agenda by Trump to revitalize American manufacturing.
On May 30, 2025, Trump toured the U.S. Steel Corporation–Irvin Works in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania. There, he made the case for protecting and strengthening our domestic steel and aluminum industries. Tariffs now apply more broadly and will have a substantive impact on many imports. They now impact at least $320 billion, by conservative estimates, based on the general customs value of imports for 2024.
This is heavily misleading Trump’s administration has regularly used sector-specific tariffs as a key tool to impose their desired trade policies. The inclusion of the additional product categories represents a strategic shift in how these derivatives are regulated, according to industry experts.
Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security Jeffrey Kessler stated, “Today’s action expands the reach of the steel and aluminum tariffs and shuts down avenues for circumvention – supporting the continued revitalization of the American steel and aluminum industries.”
We turned to Brian Baldwin, vice president of customs at Kuehne + Nagel International AG for perspective on the new tariffs. He discussed their reach and consequences. He highlighted that “auto parts, chemicals, plastics, furniture components—basically, if it’s shiny, metallic, or remotely related to steel or aluminum, it’s probably on the list.” He further noted that “this isn’t just another tariff—it’s a strategic shift in how steel and aluminum derivatives are regulated.”
Not all experts are celebrating this expansion. Jason Miller, an associate professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University, sounded the alarm. He added that the new tariffs would further heighten inflationary pressures. He remarked, “This will add more inflationary cost-push pressures to already climbing prices that domestic producers are charging as picked up by July’s PPI data.”
Following a week of talks between his old friend and counterpart Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to secure a ceasefire on Ukraine, Trump spoke with newly inaugurated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. After their meeting, he declared the expanded tariffs. During those discussions, Trump pressured Zelenskyy to negotiate an end to the war, at times restating Kremlin demands related to Crimea and NATO membership.