West Mifflin, Pennsylvania | May 30, 2025 — Former President Donald Trump, speaking at a campaign-style rally at a US Steel facility in Pennsylvania, unveiled a sweeping tariff hike on foreign steel imports, raising duties from 25% to 50%. The move, Trump said, was aimed at further fortifying the domestic steel industry and safeguarding American manufacturing jobs.
The announcement came amid Trump’s endorsement of a significant investment by Japan-based Nippon Steel in US Steel, a deal he had previously opposed. Surrounded by steelworkers in orange safety helmets, Trump described the investment as a "blockbuster" partnership, claiming it would rejuvenate the American steel sector.
“Nobody is going to get around that,” Trump said, referring to the elevated tariff rate. In a post made shortly after the rally, he also confirmed that the 50% tariff would apply to imported aluminum, with the new rates set to take effect on June 4.
“This will be yet another big jolt of great news for our wonderful steel and aluminum workers,” he added on social media.
The policy shift follows a temporary ruling by a federal appeals court allowing Trump’s existing tariffs to remain in place, despite a recent trade court decision that challenged the administration’s authority to impose them. However, under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, the president retains the ability to raise tariffs on national security grounds.
The renewed focus on steel tariffs coincides with growing scrutiny over the nature of the Nippon–US Steel agreement. While Trump referred to the deal as a “partnership,” official documents on US Steel’s own website describe it as an acquisition. Multiple references across the site label it as “Nippon Steel’s acquisition of US Steel” and outline terms consistent with a corporate takeover.
Trump’s support for the deal marks a notable reversal from his earlier stance, when he opposed Nippon Steel’s $14.9 billion bid to purchase the American firm. The powerful United Steelworkers union had also objected, accusing Nippon of making “flashy promises” while aiming to erode domestic competitiveness.
Despite the union’s continued reservations, Trump insisted that US Steel would “remain an American company,” claiming the deal included commitments to preserve jobs and maintain all operating blast furnaces in the U.S. for at least a decade. He also pledged a $5,000 bonus for every US steelworker, triggering chants of “U-S-A” among the crowd.
“You’re going to see a lot of money coming your way,” Trump told the cheering workers. “We won’t call this the rust belt anymore. It’ll be a golden belt.”
Local union officials appeared alongside Trump during the rally, with Jason Zugai, Vice President of Irvin Local 2227, breaking from the national union leadership to endorse the investment. He described the planned spending as “life-changing.”
Nevertheless, United Steelworkers President David McCall remained cautious.
“Our primary concern remains with the impact that this merger of US Steel into a foreign competitor will have on national security, our members, and the communities where we live and work,” McCall said in a statement. “Issuing press releases and making political speeches is easy. Binding commitments are hard.”
Throughout his remarks, Trump framed the revitalization of American steel as a strategic imperative.
“This is not just a matter of dignity or prosperity or pride,” he said. “Above all, it’s a matter of national security.”
He blamed previous administrations for what he described as the collapse of the domestic steel industry, criticizing "decades of betrayals and incompetence" that left U.S. manufacturing vulnerable.
“We don’t want America’s future built with shoddy steel from Shanghai,” Trump said. “We want it built with the strength and the pride of Pittsburgh.”
Trump also repeated several well-known claims during the rally, including false assertions about the 2020 presidential election and a reference to his narrow escape from an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, which he described as a sign of divine protection.
Closing the event, Trump urged congressional Republicans to rally behind what he called “one big, beautiful bill,” and encouraged supporters to pressure their lawmakers for backing.
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