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The US administration said the latest escalation in Trump's trade wars will secure the US steel industry and curb foreign countries from flooding the US market with low-cost metals. DW has the latest. US tariffs on most steel and aluminum imports to increase from 25% to 50% Trump said the move is to "further secure the [US] steel industry" British steel is exempt and will remain tariffed at 25%, pending a trade deal European Union warned of retaliatory measures Here is a roundup of news from the United States on Wednesday, June 4, 2025: US to double double steel and aluminum tariffs US President Donald Trump will double tariffs on most steel and aluminum imports starting Wednesday, the White House announced on Tuesday, intensifying the administration's ongoing trade battles. The executive order increasing duties on both steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% is the latest escalation in Trump's trade wars. The increase comes into effect at 12:01 a.m. (4:01 a.m. GMT). The move is meant to "counter foreign countries that continue to offload low-priced, excess steel and aluminum in the US," the White House said. Announcing the tariff hike last week to workers at a US Steel plant in Pennsylvania, Trump said the move will "further secure the [US] steel industry." "Nobody's going to get around that," he said. The order also said it will "eliminate the national security threat posed by imports of steel and aluminum articles and their derivative articles." The tariff hike excludes imports from the United Kingdom, which will continue to face a 25% rate as part of a recent bilateral trade agreement. Other key trading partners, including Canada, Mexico, and the European Union, are bracing for potential economic fallout, with EU officials warning of retaliatory measures. Meanwhile, steel prices have risen 16% since Trump took office in mid-January, according to the government's Producer Price Index. Welcome to our coverage The United States will double its tariffs on imported steel and aluminum starting Wednesday, the White House said in a statement, following an order signed by US President Donald Trump. The order is the latest escalation in Trump's trade wars, increasing duties on both metals from 25 percent to 50 percent. This blog will keep you updated with these stories plus other news from the United States, along with DW analysis and reporting.