On April 15, 2026, President Donald Trump issued a presidential proclamation significantly expanding and restructuring the Section 232 trade remedy regime. The executive action, taken under the authority of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, modifies existing tariffs on aluminum and steel while formally incorporating copper products into the national security trade framework. The administration stated that these adjustments are necessary to address the continued threat to U.S. national security posed by the volume and circumstances of metal imports, which have reportedly undermined domestic production capacity.
The proclamation establishes a new tiered rate structure that applies to the full customs value of imported goods, a departure from previous methodologies that often calculated duties based solely on the value of the metal content. Under the updated framework, primary articles of steel, aluminum, and copper listed in Annex I-A are subject to a 50 percent ad valorem tariff. Derivative products that are substantially composed of these metals, categorized under Annex I-B, are now subject to a 25 percent tariff. This shift to full value assessment is expected to materially increase the duty burden on manufactured goods that were previously shielded by split-valuation rules.
To support domestic infrastructure development, the order introduces a transitional 15 percent rate for metal-intensive industrial equipment and electrical grid components through December 31, 2027. This category includes critical items such as power transformers and heavy machinery. Additionally, the proclamation provides a preferential 10 percent rate for derivative articles manufactured abroad using 100 percent U.S.-sourced metals that have been melted, poured, or smelted within the United States. Conversely, the administration maintained the 200 percent punitive tariff on Russian-origin aluminum, citing ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Geopolitical alliances are factored into the new rules through specific country-of-origin exceptions. Products from the United Kingdom qualify for reduced rates—25 percent for Annex I-A and 15 percent for Annex I-B—provided they meet strict melted and poured or smelted and cast origin criteria. The proclamation also streamlines future trade actions by granting the Secretary of Commerce and the United States Trade Representative joint authority to add new derivative products to the tariff list on a rolling basis, bypassing previous procedural requirements.
Furthermore, the proclamation clarifies the scope of coverage by establishing a 15 percent weight-based threshold. Products containing 15 percent or less steel, aluminum, or copper by weight are now explicitly excluded from Section 232 metals tariffs. This clarification is intended to provide regulatory certainty for importers of composite materials and consumer goods with minimal metal content. The Department of Commerce and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have been directed to implement these changes immediately to ensure full compliance with the new valuation and origin standards.