BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Union has expressed strong disapproval of US President Donald Trump’s unexpected plan to double tariffs on imported steel and aluminium, warning the move could unravel ongoing trade negotiations and trigger retaliatory measures from the bloc.
Speaking at a campaign rally in Pittsburgh on Friday, May 30, 2025, Trump said the United States would raise tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from 25 percent to 50 percent, starting Wednesday, June 4, 2025.
He claimed the measure would revitalise the domestic steel sector, reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, and protect national interests.
“There will be no layoffs and no outsourcing whatsoever, and every US steelworker will soon receive a well deserved $5,000 bonus,” Trump said to a cheering audience, made up largely of steelworkers.
He also cited a planned $14 billion (£10 billion) investment in US steel production through a partnership between US Steel and Japan’s Nippon Steel, although he later admitted the deal had yet to be finalised or approved.
The announcement drew immediate backlash from the European Commission, which said in a statement to the BBC on Saturday, May 31, 2025: “We strongly regret the announced increase of US tariffs on steel imports from 25% to 50%.”
“This decision adds further uncertainty to the global economy and increases costs for consumers and businesses on both sides of the Atlantic,” the Commission added.
“The tariff increase also undermines ongoing efforts to reach a negotiated solution.”
The EU said it had paused countermeasures on Monday April 14, 2025, “in good faith” to create space for negotiations but is now prepared to reintroduce them.
The UK, which agreed a zero-tariff deal on steel and aluminium with the United States earlier this year, now faces new questions over the future of that agreement, which has yet to be ratified.
A spokesman for the UK government said, “We are engaging with the US on the implications of the latest tariff announcement and to provide clarity for industry.”
British steel manufacturers reacted with dismay.
In a statement, UK steelmakers described the proposed tariff hike as “yet another body blow” to an already struggling sector.
Trump’s decision also risks complicating talks with the European Union, which had previously secured a deadline extension from the White House to negotiate broader trade terms.
Earlier in April, Trump had imposed a 20 percent tariff on most EU goods but later scaled this down to 10 percent.
Last week, he announced a further extension of the negotiation deadline to Wednesday, July 9, 2025, following what he called a “very nice” call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Despite an ongoing legal challenge to some of Trump’s international tariffs—currently before the US Court of Appeals—his measures on steel and aluminium remain unaffected by the lawsuit.
Roughly one quarter of the steel used in the United States is imported, with China, India, and Japan ranking as the top global producers.
Trump has made the revival of American manufacturing, especially in regions like Pennsylvania, a central part of his economic message since returning to office in January.
European officials and trade observers warn that further escalation could destabilise already fragile economic relations between the transatlantic partners, potentially sparking a new round of trade disputes just as both economies seek stability amid global uncertainty.
