Speaking at a rally in Pittsburgh on Friday, May 30, US President Donald Trump stated that the Section 232 tariffs applied to all steel and aluminum imports will be raised to 50 percent from 25 percent, effective this Wednesday, to help the domestic steel industry.
Trump’s decision was met with strong criticism around the globe. Canada's Chamber of Commerce stated that the hike was “antithetical to North American economic security”, while Canada’s United Steelworkers considered the hike as a direct attack on Canadian industries and workers. The European Commission, on the other hand, said that Trump’s move “undermines ongoing efforts to reach a negotiated solution”, recalling that the European Union has paused its tariffs on imports from the US to facilitate negotiations. A spokesperson for the commission stated that Europe is ready to retaliate.
Trump also accused China of violating the agreement to roll back tariffs reached in recent trade talks in Geneva without specifying a reason. The Ministry of Economy of China pushed back on Trump’s claims, saying that, while China upheld its part of the agreement, the US introduced some “discriminatory restrictions”.
