Potus says will double steel, aluminium tariffs to 50%

>>WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Friday that he would double steel and aluminium import tariffs to 50% from next week, the latest salvo in his trade wars aimed at protecting domestic industries.

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“We're going to bring it from 25% to 50%, the tariffs on steel into the United States of America,” he said while addressing workers at a US Steel plant in Pennsylvania.

“Nobody's going to get around that,” he added in the speech before blue-collar workers in the battleground state that helped deliver his election victory last year.

Shortly after, Mr Trump wrote in a Truth Social post that the elevated rate would also apply to aluminium, with the new tariffs “effective Wednesday, June 4th”.

Mr Trump has also issued sector-specific levies that affect goods such as automobiles.

On Friday, he defended his trade policies, arguing that tariffs helped protect US industry.