Kevin Dempsey, president and chief executive officer of the American Iron and Steel Institute, applauded the announcement by President Trump that he was increasing the existing steel tariffs from 25 percent to 50 percent:
“AISI welcomes President Trump’s announcement that he is increasing steel tariffs to 50 percent. Led by China, global steel overcapacity and production continues to grow, even as overall global steel demand is being impacted by the sharp downturn in the Chinese construction sector. As a result, Chinese steel exports to the world have more than doubled since 2020, surging to 118 million MT in 2024 – more than total North American steel production. Given these challenging international conditions that show no signs of improvement, this tariff action will help prevent new surges in imports that would injure American steel producers and their workers. AISI applauds the President’s bold action today to increase the tariffs on foreign steel and keep the American steel industry strong.”
Published July 2025