Donald Trump · Republican · Policy / Major Decision
Trade War: Tariffs on China, Steel and Aluminum
Mar 22, 2018
Donald TrumpTrade & EconomyPolicy / Major DecisionFirst term (2017–21)
📜 View the official record on federalregister.gov
What happened
Imposed Section 232 tariffs on steel (25%) and aluminum (10%) and Section 301 tariffs on hundreds of billions in Chinese goods, triggering retaliation and a multi-year trade conflict that ended with the January 2020 'Phase One' deal.
How it happened
Used Section 232 (national security) and Section 301 (unfair trade practices) authorities, bypassing Congress.
Documented impact
Positive impactcontested
Aimed to protect domestic steel/aluminum and pressure China on trade practices.
Some domestic producers added capacity; the Phase One deal secured Chinese purchase commitments (largely unmet).
Negative impactsubstantiated
Raised costs for U.S. manufacturers and prompted retaliation against farmers.
Studies found tariff costs passed largely to U.S. firms and consumers; retaliatory tariffs hit U.S. agriculture, prompting billions in federal farm bailouts.
Sources
Every claim above links to its source. Primary record and cited reporting: