White House senior counselor for trade and manufacturing Peter Navarro talks the 'big, beautiful bill' and updates on global trade negotiations.

President Donald Trump has now raised steel tariffs to 50% from 25%. This increase is absolutely essential to protecting the U.S. steel industry and America’s national security.

This decision comes not a moment too soon. As global steel overcapacity reaches dangerous new heights and import surges hammer American producers, the original 25% tariffs under Section 232 are no longer sufficient to shield our industrial base from foreign market manipulation, particularly by Chinese state-linked exporters. A stronger line must be drawn – and today’s move draws it.

When President Trump first imposed Section 232 tariffs in 2018, they immediately spurred a resurgence in domestic steel investment. American steelmakers poured more than $20 billion into expanding and modernizing production across critical product lines – from hot-rolled sheet and corrosion-resistant plate to rebar and wire rod.

President Donald Trump arrives to speak during a rally at U.S. Steel-Irvin Works in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, May 30, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

These investments weren’t speculative; they were foundational to national resilience, designed to restore domestic self-sufficiency and economic security.

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