Trump Administration Adjusts Section 232 Tariffs for Steel, Aluminum, and Copper
On Thursday, April 2, President Trump signed a new proclamation, Strengthening Actions Taken to Adjust Imports of Aluminum, Steel and Copper Into the United States, that establishes robust mechanisms for monitoring and enforcement of Section 232 tariffs, including external audits and the potential for increased tariffs on past, current and future imports, to increase compliance and deter declarations of metal content based on artificially deflated foreign prices.
As detailed in the proclamation as well as the White House Fact Sheet - Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Strengthens Tariffs on Steel, Aluminum, and Copper Imports - rules for calculating Section 232 metal tariffs will be as shown below. Importers that are currently providing metal vs. nonmetal content for Section 232 derivatives, please note, the proclamation terminates this option effective April 6, 2026.
- Articles made entirely or almost entirely of aluminum, steel, or copper will pay a flat 50% on their full value.
- Derivative articles substantially made of steel, aluminum, or copper will pay a flat 25% on their full value.
- Certain metal-intensive industrial equipment and electrical grid equipment will pay 15% through 2027, to accelerate the massive industrial base buildout currently underway across the United States.
- Products made abroad but entirely with American steel, aluminum, and copper will be subject to lower tariffs of 10%.
- Products made of 15% or less steel, aluminum, or copper will no longer be subject to Section 232 metals tariffs.
These changes to the Section 232 tariffs will take effect at 12:01 am ET on April 6, 2026.
Please review the Annexes I-A, I-B, II, III, & IV for the full list of HTS codes impacted as well as the new Section 232 duty rate that will apply.
Please reach out to us with any questions you may have, and we will continue to keep you informed with any changes as we receive them.
