^{U.S. President Donald Trump walks with North American Flat-Rolled Segment Senior Vice President and Chief Manufacturing Officer Scott Buckiso, Plant manager of Irvin and Fairless Plant Donald German and Mon Valley Works United Steel Corporation Vice President Kurt Barshick, as he visits U.S. Steel Corporation–Irvin Works in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, U.S., May 30, 2025. | Leah Millis | Reuters}

A Major Expansion of Tariff Scope

The Trump administration has significantly broadened its trade offensive, announcing that 50% tariffs will now apply to 407 additional products that either contain steel or aluminum, or are manufactured using them. The new rules, which took effect Monday, add to existing duties on raw steel and aluminum, further tightening restrictions on imports of essential goods across multiple industries.

The newly targeted categories include auto parts, plastics, machinery, fire extinguishers, construction materials, and specialty chemicals. Analysts warn that this expansion dramatically increases the reach of tariffs first imposed under Trump’s earlier trade agenda.

A Strategic Trade Shift

Commerce Department officials framed the move as a crackdown on loopholes. “Today’s action expands the reach of the steel and aluminum tariffs and shuts down avenues for circumvention—supporting the continued revitalization of the American steel and aluminum industries,” said Jeffrey Kessler, Commerce Department under secretary for industry and security.

Trade experts, however, note that the scope of the new duties makes them far more than an extension of existing policy. “This isn’t just another tariff—it’s a strategic shift in how steel and aluminum derivatives are regulated,” said Brian Baldwin, VP of customs at Kuehne + Nagel International AG.

Economic Impact Could Be Massive

Early estimates suggest the broader tariff net could have sweeping consequences. Jason Miller, professor of supply chain management at Michigan State University, said the duties now cover at least $320 billion in imports—a sharp jump from his earlier estimate of about $190 billion.

“This will add more inflationary cost-push pressures to already climbing prices that domestic producers are charging as picked up by July’s Producer Price Index data,” Miller noted. Economists warn the expansion could raise costs for businesses and consumers alike, hitting everything from car repair parts to consumer goods that rely on plastics and metals.

A Complicated Tariff List

The Commerce Department published a list of affected goods using only 10-digit customs classification codes, leaving many industry watchers struggling to identify which everyday items are impacted. For example, fire extinguishers appear only as code “8424.10.0000,” buried within hundreds of other entries.

This lack of transparency makes it difficult for businesses and consumers to quickly gauge the full scope of products now subject to higher duties.

Political and Trade Context

The expansion builds on Trump’s June decision to double steel and aluminum tariffs from 25% to 50%, which rattled global supply chains and heightened tensions with trading partners. The White House has defended the move as consistent with Trump’s February directive for a new “product inclusions process,” which allowed companies to petition for their products to be considered derivatives of steel or aluminum.

“Thus, it has been clear for many months that new products could be treated as steel and aluminum derivatives,” said White House spokesperson Kush Desai.

Looking Ahead

For now, manufacturers, importers, and retailers are scrambling to assess the real-world effects. With tariffs now touching a wide swath of industrial and consumer goods, businesses may face higher input costs, reduced supply chain flexibility, and price hikes that could trickle down to consumers.

As the tariff net tightens, economists caution that the U.S. could see ripple effects across industries ranging from automotive and construction to chemicals and household goods—potentially intensifying inflationary pressures just as policymakers attempt to stabilize the economy.

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