President Trump signed a proclamation on June 1 overhauling the Section 232 national security tariffs on aluminum, steel, and copper imports. The new rules take effect June 8 and run through December 31, 2027, creating a temporary window of reduced duties that reshapes the cost structure for US manufacturers, farmers, and ultimately anyone trading commodities or macro-sensitive assets.
What actually changed
The headline number is a 15% ad valorem duty rate for several product categories that previously faced steeper levies. Agricultural equipment and certain residential HVAC systems and components have been added to this reduced-duty tier, a nod to political pressure from farming states and housing-cost hawks.
Perhaps more consequentially, the threshold for qualifying as “US-sourced” metal content dropped from 95% to 85% by weight. If you’re an importer blending domestic and foreign aluminum, you now have a lot more wiggle room to hit the 10% duty rate instead of paying the full tariff.
The scope of what counts as a “derivative” product under the tariff umbrella also expanded. Aluminum lithographic plates and steel racks are now covered.
