What They Are Saying: President Trump Strengthens U.S. Steel, Aluminum, and Copper Industries with Historic Action
WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald J. Trump is committed to supporting the U.S. steel, aluminum, and copper industries and accelerating the industrial base buildout currently underway across the United States. Last week, the President signed a Proclamation that strengthens tariffs on imported strategic metals and addresses the national-security threat posed by these imports.
The Proclamation defines the way that tariffs are assessed, ensuring that they reflect the full value of imported steel, aluminum, and copper products and protecting domestic producers from artificially low foreign prices. The Proclamation also establishes clear rules for calculating Section 232 metals tariffs. Among other updates to the tariff schedule, the President set the rates for articles made entirely or almost entirely of aluminum, steel, or copper at 50% on their full value and for derivative articles substantially made of steel, aluminum, or copper at 25% of their full value.
Read the full Proclamation here.
What They Are Saying:
“AISI commends the decisive action taken today by President Trump to ensure that all steel mill products, including steel pipe and tube, receive the full benefit of the 50 percent tariffs on steel products. We also welcome the steps being taken today to simplify the process for applying the steel tariffs to critical steel derivative products… AISI thanks President Trump for his continued strong and unwavering support for the steel industry in the United States, which is essential to our nation’s national and economic security.”
– Kevin Dempsey, president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute
“The Steel Manufacturers Association applauds the Trump Administration’s actions today to strengthen the Section 232 steel tariffs. By right-sizing the derivatives list and updating the valuation of steel-containing goods, these measures reinforce President Trump’s signature trade achievement, ensuring the tariffs remain precisely targeted to support the revitalization of the American steel industry without undermining broader economic goals…We thank the President and his team for prioritizing the revitalization of the American steel industry.”
– Philip K. Bell, president and CEO of the Steel Manufacturers Association
“President Trump’s Executive Order is a necessary step in the right direction to fully enforce the 50% tariff on aluminum, a metal critical to our national security… Importers who cheat on valuation undermine national security. We applaud President Trump’s decisive leadership, which is creating thousands of American aluminum jobs and billions of dollars in new domestic investment.”
– Mark Duffy, president of the American Primary Aluminum Association
“We are grateful to President Trump for recognizing this valuation issue and taking meaningful action to rectify it… Until now, importers have been undervaluing aluminum extrusions entering the country to evade the aluminum tariff. American aluminum extruders have been forced to bear the consequences. President Trump’s recent Executive Order enables the entire aluminum supply chain to receive the tariff’s benefits.”
– Mark Butterfield, chairman of the U.S. Aluminum Extruders Coalition
“The Aluminum Association welcomes the Trump administration taking steps to improve the Section 232 tariff regime. In particular, we applaud the move to value aluminum-containing products based on their full value rather than only their aluminum content. This change closes a critical loophole that previously allowed unfairly traded aluminum to enter the U.S. market through downstream goods.”
– Charles Johnson, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association
“Century Aluminum strongly supports President Trump’s executive order, which defends American manufacturing and holds foreign companies accountable for unfair practices by closing loopholes that importers had previously tried to use to cheat the system… With the 50% Section 232 tariffs on primary aluminum still fully in force with no exemptions or exceptions, today’s executive order reinforces that foreign actors will no longer be allowed to game the system at the expense of Americans.”
– Jesse Gary, CEO of Century Aluminum
“Nucor strongly supports President Trump’s actions to strengthen enforcement of the Section 232 program. Today’s announcement demonstrates the President’s commitment to a comprehensive Section 232 program that supports American steel producers and continued investments in America’s industrial base. Applying tariffs to the full value of steel and steel derivative imports will make it more difficult for importers to evade their obligations and will reinforce the integrity of this critical program and our national security.”
– Leon Topalian, chair and CEO of Nucor Corporation
“On behalf of each of our 3,500+ teammates, I would like to thank President Trump for his April 2, 2026 Proclamation that strengthens the Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum, and copper. Among other things, this Proclamation ensures that critical steel pipe and tube products receive the full protection of the 50 percent tariffs. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his team have done a tremendous job in monitoring the effectiveness of the Section 232 tariffs and advising the President to take this further, necessary action… Thank you, President Trump, for prioritizing American-made products and ensuring the long-term health of our vital industries. Together, we are building a stronger, more resilient future for our nation.”
– Barry Zekelman, executive chairman and CEO of Zekelman Industries
“After in depth engagement with senior administration officials to address critical flaws in the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs, we are grateful they are taking this important action. We especially appreciate the leadership of the Bureau of Industry and Security and the work their team has done to resolve these issues. CPA is proud to represent companies across the steel and aluminum industries that account for the vast majority of jobs in these critical sectors, and this action will help ensure these tariffs function as intended to support domestic production and American workers.”
– Jon Toomey, president of the Coalition for a Prosperous America
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About the International Trade Administration
The International Trade Administration (ITA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce is the premier U.S. Government resource for American companies competing in the global marketplace. Operating in more than 100 U.S. locations and 80 markets worldwide, ITA promotes trade and investment, assists U.S. businesses and workers to export and expand globally, and ensures fair trade and compliance by enforcing U.S. trade laws and agreements. For more information on ITA, visit www.trade.gov.
