President Donald Trump announced the US will increase tariff rates on steel and aluminum imports from 25% to 50%, effective Wednesday.
Speaking at a Pittsburgh rally Friday, Trump said the measure would strengthen the local steel industry and national supply while reducing dependence on China. He also revealed that $14bn would be invested in regional steel production through a US Steel-Nippon Steel partnership, though he later told reporters the final deal remained under review.
The announcement represents another shift in Trump’s tariff strategy since returning to office in January.
“There will be no layoffs and no outsourcing whatsoever, and every US steelworker will soon receive a well-deserved $5,000 bonus,” Trump told the crowd of steelworkers to enthusiastic applause.
Steelworkers had expressed concern about how Japan would honor union contracts regulating pay and hiring under the US-Japan trade arrangement.
Trump claimed he had “saved” US Steel, America’s largest steel manufacturer based in Pittsburgh, through 25% tariffs implemented during his first presidency in 2018. However, US Steel has experienced declining sales and profits recently.
Trump promoted the 50% increase as necessary for US Steel’s survival, stating, “At 50%, they can no longer get over the fence. We are once again going to put Pennsylvania steel into the backbone of America, like never before.”
US steel manufacturing has declined as China, India, and Japan have become leading global producers. Approximately 25% of US steel is imported, with reliance on Mexican and Canadian steel particularly concerning Trump.
The announcement occurs amid court challenges to Trump’s global tariffs. An appeals court has allowed the tariffs to continue after the Court of International Trade ordered their halt, though steel and aluminum tariffs remain unaffected.
JoJo Burgess, a United Steelworkers union member attending the rally, called it “a good day for steelworkers.” Burgess, who serves as mayor of Washington, Pennsylvania, expressed optimism about the Nippon Steel partnership generating new steelworkers. He recalled “making a lot of money” following Trump’s first-term steel tariffs.
While not identifying as a Trump supporter and having voted Democratic for two decades, Burgess said: “I’m never going to disagree with something that’s going to level the playing field for American manufacturing.”
Trump’s tariffs have contributed to global economic disruption, affecting trade and markets while straining international relationships, including with close partners. The measures have particularly damaged US-China relations, launching a trade battle between the world’s largest economies.
Friday, Trump accused China of violating their recent tariff truce reached in Geneva, though he provided no details. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer clarified that China hadn’t removed non-tariff barriers as agreed. China responded by urging the US to “cease discriminatory restrictions against China” without directly addressing the claims.
China produces over half of global steel according to 2022 World Steel Association statistics.
“If you don’t have steel, you don’t have a country. You don’t have a country, you can’t make a military. What are we going to do? Say, ‘Let’s go to China to get our steel from the army tanks,'” Trump said at the rally.
Trump’s hour-long speech referenced the Japanese deal without providing new details. Neither company has confirmed completion of any agreement.
US Steel agreed in December 2023 to a $15bn Nippon Steel takeover before President Biden blocked it on national security grounds. During his campaign, Trump opposed the foreign takeover, saying he would “block it instantaneously” and calling it “so terrible.”
The new “partnership” structure remains unclear regarding US Steel’s ownership and operation of the 124-year-old company.
White House officials said Trump convinced Japan to increase US investment and grant government oversight of US factory operations. US media reports indicate Japan plans $14bn investment over 14 months.
Additional reported details include maintaining US ownership of US steel with American citizens in board and leadership roles, pledging no production cuts for 10 years, and granting government veto power over future production reductions.
About the author
One Passenger Miraculously Survives Air India Crash That Killed Over 200
A sole survivor has been confirmed from the devastating Air India crash that killed at least 200 people, according to police officials. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik told the ANI news agency that one passenger survived the tragedy. The survivor was seated in 11A on the London-bound Boeing 787-8 flight, identified by the flight manifest as British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh. Following the crash, Mr Ramesh contacted his family in Leicester to confirm he was safe, though he expressed concern about his brother Ajay, who was also on the flight. His cousin Ajay Valgi confirmed the phone call to the news. Mr Ramesh's brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, described the family's devastation from their Leicester home. "I last spoke to him yesterday morning. We're devastated, just devastated," he said. "He said I have no idea how I exited the plane." A relative […]
US Orders Emergency Embassy Evacuations Across Middle East As Iran Crisis Escalates
The United States has initiated a partial evacuation of its embassy in Iraq and authorized the voluntary departure of dependents from multiple Middle Eastern locations, including Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, citing rising regional security concerns. US Central Command announced Wednesday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had authorized the departure of military dependents in the region while monitoring "developing tension." The State Department ordered nonessential personnel to leave the already limited-staffed US Embassy in Baghdad, emphasizing its commitment to "keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad." President Trump confirmed the evacuations Wednesday evening, stating the region "could be a dangerous place." He added, "We'll see what happens. We've given notice to move out, and we'll see what happens." Trump then referenced Iran directly: "They can't have a nuclear weapon, very simple. We're not going to allow that." […]
ABC News Fires Veteran Journalist After Calling Trump World Class Hater
ABC News has terminated veteran journalist Terry Moran following his suspension over a social media post that labeled President Donald Trump and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller as "world-class haters." The network announced Tuesday that Moran's quickly deleted X post constituted "a clear violation of ABC News policies." ABC stated that while Moran's contract was already set to expire, the network decided against renewal "based on his recent post." The Sunday night post primarily targeted Miller, whom Moran characterized as "the brains behind Trumpism." Moran wrote that Miller "is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred" and called him "a world-class hater." He also applied the same description to Trump, though he suggested Trump's hatred served merely as "a means to an end" for "his own glorification." Regarding Miller specifically, Moran stated that "his hatreds are his spiritual nourishment. […]
LA Police Make Mass Arrests As Curfew Imposed During Immigration Protest Crisis
Los Angeles police conducted mass arrests following the implementation of a curfew in downtown areas as protests continued against President Trump's immigration enforcement operations. The Los Angeles Police Department announced Tuesday evening that arrests were underway after groups gathered within the designated curfew zone. "Multiple groups continue to congregate on 1st St between Spring and Alameda," the LAPD posted on social media. "Those groups are being addressed and mass arrests are being initiated." While many protesters later dispersed, sporadic confrontations persisted. Officials justified the curfew as necessary to prevent vandalism and theft by those seeking to cause disruption. Mayor Karen Bass established the curfew covering one square mile of downtown Los Angeles, effective from 8pm Tuesday to 6am Wednesday. Bass indicated the measure would likely continue for several days but emphasized it applied only to a small section of the […]
US and China Reach Major Trade Breakthrough After Intense London Talks
The United States and China have established a "framework" on trade following two days of negotiations in London designed to reduce tensions between the world's largest economies. While details of the framework announced Tuesday remain unclear, the development represents progress following Washington and Beijing's announcement of a 90-day tariff pause after Geneva talks last month. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reported that both sides worked to implement the "Geneva consensus" and had "pounded through" all major issues dividing the two nations. The framework requires approval from President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who discussed trade in a 90-minute phone call last week, before moving forward. "Once the presidents approve it, we will then seek to implement it," Lutnick told reporters outside Lancaster House. Lutnick suggested that US measures responding to China's slowdown in rare earth exports, a significant […]
Elon Musk Finally Apologizes After Epic Trump Feud Goes Nuclear
Tech billionaire Elon Musk has publicly expressed regret over his recent criticisms of President Donald Trump following their highly publicized dispute. "I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week," Musk wrote on his social media platform X early Wednesday. "They went too far." The Tesla and SpaceX CEO, who recently stepped down from his position leading the Department of Government Efficiency, did not identify which specific criticisms prompted his apology. Musk's regret follows a series of aggressive attacks against Trump, including an unverified allegation that the administration withheld Jeffrey Epstein files to protect Trump from potential connections to the deceased financier and convicted sex offender. The conflict erupted after Musk, previously one of Trump's most influential supporters during his campaign and early presidency, publicly opposed Trump's comprehensive legislative package last week. Musk condemned what he called the […]
Related
One Passenger Miraculously Survives Air India Crash That Killed Over 200
A sole survivor has been confirmed from the devastating Air India crash that killed at least 200 people, according to police officials. Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik told the ANI news agency that one passenger survived the tragedy. The survivor was seated in 11A on the London-bound Boeing 787-8 flight, identified by the flight manifest as British national Vishwashkumar Ramesh. Following the crash, Mr Ramesh contacted his family in Leicester to confirm he was safe, though he expressed concern about his brother Ajay, who was also on the flight. His cousin Ajay Valgi confirmed the phone call to the news. Mr Ramesh's brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, described the family's devastation from their Leicester home. "I last spoke to him yesterday morning. We're devastated, just devastated," he said. "He said I have no idea how I exited the plane." A relative […]
US Orders Emergency Embassy Evacuations Across Middle East As Iran Crisis Escalates
The United States has initiated a partial evacuation of its embassy in Iraq and authorized the voluntary departure of dependents from multiple Middle Eastern locations, including Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, citing rising regional security concerns. US Central Command announced Wednesday that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had authorized the departure of military dependents in the region while monitoring "developing tension." The State Department ordered nonessential personnel to leave the already limited-staffed US Embassy in Baghdad, emphasizing its commitment to "keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad." President Trump confirmed the evacuations Wednesday evening, stating the region "could be a dangerous place." He added, "We'll see what happens. We've given notice to move out, and we'll see what happens." Trump then referenced Iran directly: "They can't have a nuclear weapon, very simple. We're not going to allow that." […]
Northern Ireland Minister Faces Standards Investigation After Larne Leisure Centre Fire
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons will be referred to the standards commissioner following events surrounding a fire at Larne Leisure Centre amid ongoing civil unrest in Northern Ireland. The referral follows social media posts made by Lyons before the fire, in which he disclosed that the leisure centre had been used to accommodate individuals relocated from Ballymena following disturbances in that town, located approximately 30 minutes away. Matthew O'Toole, leader of the opposition in the Northern Ireland Assembly, announced his intention to refer the minister to the commissioner, stating that the minister's actions "cannot be ignored" and that "lives are at stake." On Wednesday, Lyons expressed concern about the decision-making process, stating, "As a local MLA for the area, neither I nor my DUP Council colleagues were made aware of or consulted on this decision until late this afternoon." The minister […]
Beach Boys Co-Founder Brian Wilson Dies at 82; Bandmates and Music Icons Pay Tribute
Brian Wilson, the co-founding member and primary creative force behind The Beach Boys, passed away at age 82, prompting an outpouring of tributes from surviving bandmates and fellow musicians worldwide. Wilson's cousin and Beach Boys co-founder Mike Love, 84, honored Wilson's legacy in a detailed Facebook post, describing his "unmatched musical gifts." Love characterized Wilson as "fragile, intense, funny," and "one of a kind," noting that his music "allowed us to show the world what vulnerability and brilliance sound like in harmony." "The melodies he dreamed up, the emotions he poured into every noteโBrian changed the course of music forever," Love wrote, acknowledging both the musical partnership and family relationship they shared. "Like all families, we had our ups and downs. But through it all, we never stopped loving each other, and I never stopped being in awe of what […]
ABC News Fires Veteran Journalist After Calling Trump World Class Hater
ABC News has terminated veteran journalist Terry Moran following his suspension over a social media post that labeled President Donald Trump and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller as "world-class haters." The network announced Tuesday that Moran's quickly deleted X post constituted "a clear violation of ABC News policies." ABC stated that while Moran's contract was already set to expire, the network decided against renewal "based on his recent post." The Sunday night post primarily targeted Miller, whom Moran characterized as "the brains behind Trumpism." Moran wrote that Miller "is richly endowed with the capacity for hatred" and called him "a world-class hater." He also applied the same description to Trump, though he suggested Trump's hatred served merely as "a means to an end" for "his own glorification." Regarding Miller specifically, Moran stated that "his hatreds are his spiritual nourishment. […]
LA Police Make Mass Arrests As Curfew Imposed During Immigration Protest Crisis
Los Angeles police conducted mass arrests following the implementation of a curfew in downtown areas as protests continued against President Trump's immigration enforcement operations. The Los Angeles Police Department announced Tuesday evening that arrests were underway after groups gathered within the designated curfew zone. "Multiple groups continue to congregate on 1st St between Spring and Alameda," the LAPD posted on social media. "Those groups are being addressed and mass arrests are being initiated." While many protesters later dispersed, sporadic confrontations persisted. Officials justified the curfew as necessary to prevent vandalism and theft by those seeking to cause disruption. Mayor Karen Bass established the curfew covering one square mile of downtown Los Angeles, effective from 8pm Tuesday to 6am Wednesday. Bass indicated the measure would likely continue for several days but emphasized it applied only to a small section of the […]
Be the first to leave a comment