Trump sets 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum, heightening trade war

President Donald Trump ordered a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports, escalating his efforts to protect politically important U.S. industries with levies hitting some of the country’s closest allies.

The tariffs will apply widely to all U.S. imports of steel and aluminum, including from Canada and Mexico, the country’s top two foreign suppliers of the metals. The tariffs will include finished metal products and no exemptions will be made for trading partners. The measures are meant to crack down on what administration officials said were efforts by countries like Russia and China to circumvent existing duties.

Trump’s move comes on top of new 10% tariffs on goods from China; 25% levies on Canada and Mexico that are currently paused; and the president’s plan to slap reciprocal duties on other nations. It is also the broadest-reaching action yet by Trump to confront U.S. trade deficits and harness international commerce as a source of revenue.