Trump to Announce 25% Tariffs on All Steel and Aluminum Imports

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday (9) that he will impose a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, with the official announcement expected on Monday (10).

In 2024, Brazil was the second-largest supplier of steel to the United States by volume, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce, trailing only Canada and Mexico.

In 2023, the U.S. accounted for 18% of all Brazilian exports of pig iron, iron, and steel, according to the Brazilian government.

During his first term, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on steel imports and a 10% tariff on aluminum. At the time, the Brazilian Steel Institute (Instituto Aço Brasil), which represents Brazilian steelmakers, warned that the measure would lead to furnace shutdowns and job losses.

However, Trump later revoked the tariffs on Brazilian products, as well as on imports from key trade partners such as Canada, Mexico, the European Union, and the United Kingdom.

When contacted by g1, Brazil’s Ministry of Development, Industry, and Trade declined to comment. According to TV Globo, the Brazilian government is awaiting the official announcement before making any statements.

Brazil Has So Far Avoided Trump’s Tariff Crackdown

Since taking office for a new term, Trump has ramped up tariffs on imports from several countries.

Among the initial targets are Canada and Mexico—America’s two largest trading partners—along with China. While tariffs on Canada and Mexico were briefly suspended for a month, Trump has also promised to impose new levies on the European Union.

Brazil, which accounts for 1.3% of total U.S. imports, has so far been left out of this wave of trade restrictions.

However, experts warn that Brazil could still be affected by targeted measures in specific sectors, particularly steel.

“When we look at past trends, we see significant pressure from various industries, especially the steel sector, which supplies one of the most imported products by the U.S.,” said Lia Valls, an associate researcher at the Brazilian Institute of Economics at Fundação Getulio Vargas (Ibre/FGV) and a professor at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), in an interview with g1 before Trump’s latest announcement.

Trump Also Vows to Match Tariffs Imposed on the U.S.

In addition to steel and aluminum tariffs, Trump stated that the U.S. will impose reciprocal tariffs on imported products that face duties abroad.

“It’s very simple: if they tax us, we tax them,” Trump said.

The president made the remarks aboard Air Force One while en route to New Orleans, where he was attending the Super Bowl.

Gaza, U.S. Debt, and Ukraine

During the same discussion, Trump also made several other statements:

• He expressed interest in purchasing and owning Gaza’s territory but said he would allow other Middle Eastern nations to participate in reconstruction efforts.
• He claimed progress in negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, mentioning that he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin but did not provide details on when the conversation took place. “I’ve had talks. Let’s just say I’ve had… and I hope to have many more. We need to end this war.”
• He argued that the U.S. national debt—officially at $36.2 trillion—may be overstated, suggesting that “a large portion of it could be fraudulent” and that the true debt might be lower than reported.

Source: G1

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