U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order modifying tariffs applied to imports of industrial metals, including steel, aluminum, and certain copper-based products.
According to the order, some product categories will now benefit from reduced tariffs, decreasing from 25% to 15%. These reductions mainly apply to certain agricultural equipment as well as heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems.
The decree highlights the strategic importance of these materials for the U.S. economy, particularly in the agriculture, construction, and industrial logistics sectors.
However, several products will continue to face higher tariff rates. Aluminum lithographic plates and steel shelving units will remain subject to a 25% tariff in order to prevent circumvention of existing trade measures.
The policy also introduces a differentiated tariff regime for certain trading partners. Companies from countries including the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Switzerland, the European Union, as well as several countries in Latin America and Asia, will benefit from a 10% tariff rate on certain products made entirely from processed metals.
In addition, Canadian and Mexican goods receive special treatment under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), with a 25% tariff applied only to the non-U.S. content of covered products.
This new tariff framework is part of the Trump administration’s broader economic strategy aimed at protecting domestic industry and strengthening U.S. production of strategic metals.
