Trump administration expands steel and aluminium tariffs to 400 new products

The Trump administration has expanded its tariffs on steel and aluminium to cover more than 400 additional product categories, in a move that significantly broadens the scope of the policy.

The new measures, which took effect on Monday, build on President Donald Trump’s decision earlier this year to double duties on imports of the metals to 50%.

According to the US Department of Commerce, the new levies apply to 407 product categories, many of which are only identified by their 10-digit customs codes.

The expansion marks a notable escalation in the administration’s trade agenda, designed to tighten controls on imports and limit avenues of circumvention.

A wide range of products affected

The new tariffs go far beyond raw steel and aluminium, extending to items that contain or are made from the metals.

These include machinery, construction materials, specialty chemicals, fire extinguishers, auto parts, plastics, and furniture components.

“Auto parts, chemicals, plastics, furniture components—basically, if it’s shiny, metallic, or remotely related to steel or aluminium, it’s probably on the list,” wrote Brian Baldwin, vice president of customs at Kuehne + Nagel International AG, in a LinkedIn post.

Commerce Under Secretary for Industry and Security, Jeffrey Kessler, said in a statement that the expansion “shuts down avenues for circumvention – supporting the continued revitalisation of the American steel and aluminium industries.”

However, the Department of Commerce’s public release makes it difficult for businesses and consumers to identify all of the newly impacted products, as the items are listed only by technical customs codes rather than by their common names.

Fire extinguishers, for instance, appear only under the category “8424.10.0000.”

Jason Miller, professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University, estimated in a LinkedIn post that the expanded steel and aluminium tariffs now cover at least $320 billion worth of imports, based on 2024 customs data.

He added that the move is likely to intensify inflationary cost pressures, noting that domestic producers are already raising prices, as reflected in July’s Producer Price Index (PPI) data.

A cornerstone of Trump’s trade policy

President Trump has consistently used sector-specific tariffs as a key lever in his trade policy.

In June, he announced the doubling of tariffs on steel and aluminium imports to 50% for most countries, a decision that drew criticism from trading partners and introduced additional uncertainty into global supply chains.

The White House has not clarified whether the latest tariffs will be applied on top of country-specific duties previously announced.

While the stated aim of the policy is to bolster US steel and aluminium producers, economists caution that the broader impact could extend far beyond the metals sector.

With hundreds of new products now covered, the measures are expected to ripple across industries, amplifying costs and complicating international trade flows.