Effective March 12, 2025
The White House yesterday announced that President Trump signed a proclamation imposing a 25% tariff on all steel imports and a proclamation increasing the tariff on aluminum imports to 25%, effective March 12, 2025.
The president is exercising authority under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to adjust imports of steel and aluminum to protect national security.
According to a White House fact sheet (February 11, 2025), prior exemptions for certain countries—such as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, the European Union, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom—created loopholes that were exploited. The president’s proclamation introduces various reforms, including eliminating alternative agreements, applying "melted and poured" standards, expanding tariffs to include key downstream products, terminating general approved exclusions, and addressing tariff misclassification and duty evasion.