(2nd LD) Trump gov't announces adjustments to metal tariffs, 100 pct pharmaceutical duty amid affordability concerns

▲ This file 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)

(2nd LD) US-tariff announcements

(2nd LD) Trump gov't announces adjustments to metal tariffs, 100 pct pharmaceutical duty amid affordability concerns

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info, details in paras 6-10)

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.

It 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, a senior U.S. official said in an online briefing.

Trump signed a proclamation on the adjustments that are set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Monday (Washington time). The White House said that the changes are intended to strengthen the metal tariffs to "more effectively address the national security threat posed by such imports."

"The proclamation defines the way that tariffs are assessed, ensuring that they reflect the full value of imported steel, aluminum, and copper products -- not an artificially low foreign price," the White House said in a fact sheet.

It appears to suggest that some foreign exporters are artificially manipulating prices to reduce tariff payments.

During the press briefing, the official said that the adjustments concerning derivative metal products are meant to "simplify" the duty calculation process.

Currently, the U.S. assesses the metal duties based on the value of the metal content in each of the derivative products -- a complicated calculation process.

But under the adjustments, U.S. authorities will impose a "simple, straightforward" 25 percent tariff on products containing a "substantial" amount of steel, aluminum or copper, the official said, while no sectoral tariff will be applied to the derivative goods containing less than 15 percent steel, aluminum or copper.

The changes are expected to affect Korean companies exporting washing machines, refrigerators and other products.

"Instead of doing this complex calculation, (we) will simply say it's a 25 percent tariff on a washing machine because obviously, washing machines (are made of) huge amounts of steel," the official said.

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 a most-favored-nation (MFN) pricing agreement with the U.S., according to the official.

But South Korea, Japan, Switzerland and the European Union are not subject to the 100 percent tariff, 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., then its tariff will go down to zero, he said.

The official also said that certain 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.

Both metal and pharmaceutical tariffs are based on Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 -- a law that allows the president to adjust imports into the U.S. when he determines they threaten to impair national security.

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