U.S. expands 50% tariffs on steel, aluminum to more derivative products

The Trump administration announced on August 15 that it will broaden the scope of its 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, extending the duties to hundreds of steel and aluminum derivative products with the metal content starting from August 18.

According to a Federal Register notice, the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security has added 407 product codes to the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule. These codes cover goods containing steel or aluminum, which will now be subject to the 50% tariff rate based on their steel and aluminum content.

Non-steel or non-aluminum components of these products will continue to be taxed at previously established tariff levels for imports from specific countries, the notice clarified.

The U.S. President Donald Trump in his first term imposed Section 232 tariffs of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum on March 8 2018. These tariffs - along with other trade measures - have been frequently hiked and expanded this year since President Trump began his second term on January 20 2025, Mysteel Global noted.

On March 12, the Trump administration raised the aluminum tariff from 10% to 25% across all countries and reinstated a uniform 25% tariff on steel imports by removing country exemptions. This also marked the first time in Trump's second term that a set of tariffs were applied globally.

On June 3, President Trump doubled the Section 232 tariffs on imports of steel, aluminum, and their derivative products to the current rate of 50%, effective June 4. Just two weeks later, on June 16, the U.S. extended the 50% tariff to washing machines, refrigerators and other common household appliances containing steel parts, or so-called steel derivative products, with implementation beginning June 23.

On June 13, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection ordered importers of derivative aluminum subject to Section 232 tariffs to report the country of smelt and cast. Effective June 28, those failing to provide the information will face a 200% duty.

Written by Iris Pang, pangjunyu@mysteel.com