Supply Lines

Trump’s Tariffs Return to the Foe in Bid to Boost US Production

After his metals tariffs sparked a backlash, Trump aims to simplify the compliance process
Trump holds a reciprocal tariffs poster during an announcement at the White House in Washington on April 2, 2025.Photographer: Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg
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The Trump administration is preparing to outline a tiered system for its broad tariffs on steel and aluminum products in an attempt to simplify a process that has dogged American companies for months.

Trump last year imposed a 50% levy on foreign steel and aluminum in a measure aimed at Chinese overcapacity, and later widened the targets to goods containing the metals. The program caused massive compliance headaches for importers, and hit other major trading partners hard, including Canada, the European Union, Mexico and South Korea.