The president of the United States, Donald Trumpo, has signed two Executive orders that will impose tariffs of 25% to imports of aluminum and steel. “This is important, we are going to make the United States rich again,” said the president from the Oval Office, after making the tariff increase order effective.
The White House said Tariffs will be applied globally and that there will be no exceptions to any country in imports of steel and aluminum. Canada It is the main origin of the steel imported by the US, followed by Mexico, South Korea, Brazil and Vietnamaccording to data from the American Iron and Steel Institute. As for aluminum, the United States obtains almost two thirds of its Canada supply, according to the aluminum association.
During his first term, in 2018, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on steel imports and 10% to aluminum, although he later granted exemptions to countries such as Australia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico. This time, the Blanca has not clarified if there will be exceptions.
Trump already advanced on Sunday that he intended to impose new tariffs on steel and aluminum in statements to journalists aboard the presidential plane Air Force One, before attending the final of the Super Bowl in New Orleans (Louisiana).
The US president also said that “probably this Tuesday or Wednesday” would announce reciprocal tariffs to several countries to equate the taxes that they apply to US exports.
However, did not specify which countries will be affected by these reciprocal tariffsalthough the president has repeatedly criticized 10% that the European Union It imposes imported cars, well above the 2.5% that the United States applies.
Tariffs, “the most beautiful word in the dictionary”
The measure announced today is a new example of its strategy to use tariffs, which on more than one occasion has described as “the most beautiful word in the dictionary”, as Negotiation tool to obtain concrete concessions Not only in commerce, but also in matters of migration and security.
Last month, Trump announced Colombian Products Tariffs After the refusal of President Gustavo Petro to accept a flight with deported migrants chained, but turned back when Colombia agreed to continue receiving deportation flights.
Likewise, last week, Trump announced that he would postpone for a month the application of a 25% tariff they had announced on all the Products from Canada and Mexicoafter an agreement with both countries to reinforce border control and stop the traffic of fentanil and the arrival of migrants.
Trump, however, did impose a Additional 10% tariff to Chinawhich adds to those already in force since his first mandate on products of the Asian giant, which led Beijing to announce more levies in retaliation.
