Donald Trump’s surprise announcement of plans to impose whopping 25% tariffs on all international steel and aluminium imports to the US could be “hugely damaging” for the UK.
Industry figures reacted with consternation today (Monday) after President Trump spoke of his plans on Sunday as he flew on Air Force One to watch the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
He told reporters on the aircraft: “Any steel coming into the United States is going to have a 25% tariff.” When asked about aluminium, he added: “Aluminium, too.”
Responding to the alarming statement, UK Steel director general Gareth Stace said: “The imposition of US tariffs on UK steel would be a devastating blow to our industry. The US is our second largest export market after the EU.
“At a time of shrinking demand and high costs, rising protectionism globally, particularly in the US, will stifle our exports and damage over £400 million worth of the steel sector’s contribution to the UK’s balance of trade.
“It is deeply disappointing if President Trump sees the need to target UK steel, given our relatively small production volumes compared to major steel nations.
“The UK produces world-leading steel, supplying the US with high-quality products for defence, aerospace, stainless, and other critical sectors, materials that simply cannot be replicated elsewhere.”
The trade union Community said tariffs on British steel would be “hugely damaging” for the UK and “self-defeating” for the US.
Community’s assistant general secretary Alasdair McDiarmid said: “While we await full details and a formal policy announcement, the comments from the White House regarding new tariffs on steel are extremely concerning.
“At a time of uncertainty for the sector, a punitive new tariff on UK steel exports would be hugely damaging and threaten jobs. For the US it would also be self-defeating, as the UK is a leading supplier of specialist steel products required by their defence and aerospace sectors.”
Labour have also been left scratching their heads over how to respond to fresh tariff statements coming out of Washington.
The UK exported 166,433 tonnes of steel to the US in 2023, the last full year for which figures are available.
Figures from trade body UK Steel showed that in 2024 some 162,716 tonnes were sent to the US, but that does not yet include data from December.
Asked on Monday morning about Mr Trump’s comments, Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle said the Government will have to “wait and see whether the president gets more specific about what he meant by that comment”.
She said: “We have a very balanced trading relationship with the US – I think £300 billion worth of trade between our countries – and I think it’s in the best interests of both of us, as longstanding allies and neighbours, that we carry on with that balanced trade.”
British officials are understood to be seeking further details regarding Mr Trump’s comments.
