Trump gov't announces adjustments to metal tariffs, 100 pct pharmaceutical duty amid affordability concerns

▲ This photo, released by UPI, shows U.S. President Donald Trump speaking during a press briefing at the White House in Washington on Feb. 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

US-tariff announcements

Trump gov't announces adjustments to metal tariffs, 100 pct pharmaceutical duty amid affordability concerns

By Song Sang-ho

WASHINGTON, April 2 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's administration said Wednesday it will impose 50 percent tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper imports based on their "full value" paid by U.S. customers in America rather than "artificially low" foreign prices.

The administration also plans to adjust tariffs on derivative metal products, under which no additional sectoral duties will be imposed on products containing less than 15 percent steel, aluminum or copper by weight, while a 25 percent tariff will apply to those exceeding that threshold, according to a senior U.S. official.

Trump signed a proclamation on the adjustments.

"(We are) enforcing the 50 percent (metal tariffs) to make it more effective and beneficial to our steel industry, and doing it correctly in a more powerful way, not letting these other countries and other importers (or) exporters artificially reduce the price," the official said.

He was referring to the practice of foreign companies artificially manipulating prices to lower tariffs.

On the day, Trump also signed a separate document to impose a long-awaited 100 percent tariff on patented pharmaceuticals that are not made in the United States and do not have most-favored-nation (MFN) status, according to the official.

But South Korea, Japan, Switzerland and the European Union are not subject to the 100 percent tariff rolled out under Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act, as those countries have made bilateral trade deals with the U.S., the official said.

As for exceptions, he said that if a company commits to building a pharmaceutical plant in the U.S., its tariff will be reduced to 20 percent. If it is building a plant in the U.S. with an MFN agreement with the U.S. government, then its tariff will go down to zero, he said.

The official also said that big companies will be given 120 days to decide whether to announce "reshoring" plans before the 100 percent tariff kicks in, while smaller companies will have 180 days.

Asked if the Trump administration has concerns about the possibility of metal derivative tariffs affecting affordability for American citizens, the official said that there will be "no impact on affordability whatsoever."

"These will not have an impact on the price of the goods on the shelf," he said.

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