UK temporarily spared from Trump's 50% steel tariffs

The UK has been temporarily spared from US President Donald Trump's executive order doubling steel and aluminium tariffs from 25% to 50%.

The order signed by Trump raises import taxes for US-based firms buying from other countries from Wednesday - but the levy remains at 25% for the UK.

The order depends on the UK and US tariff deal signed last month, which would see steel and aluminium levies axed, however, the agreement is yet to come into force, meaning UK steel exporters face tariffs until then and could face the higher amount if the pact falters.

The UK government said it is "committed to protecting British business and jobs", but the Conservatives said the order was a "fresh tariff blow".

The UK government spokesperson added that it will "continue to work with the US to implement our agreement, which will see the [tariffs] removed", with the legislation implementing the deal to be presented in Parliament "in due course".

Trump said in the order that the UK needed "different treatment" because of the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD) signed on 8 May 2025.

However, Trump later added that the US might increase the tariff on the UK "on or after July 9 2025" if it "determines that the United Kingdom has not complied with relevant aspects of the EPD".

The US is the biggest importer of steel in the world, after the European Union, getting most of the metal from Canada, Brazil, Mexico and South Korea, according to the US government.

When it comes to the UK, America is the destination for about 7% of steel exports, meaning tariffs have a big impact on the industry.

The UK's carve-out in the executive order comes after Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Paris on Tuesday.

Gareth Stace, director-general of UK Steel, said the UK's exemption from the 50% tariff was "a welcome pause", but added that "uncertainty remains over timings and final tariff rates, and now US customers will be dubious over whether they should even risk making UK orders".

"The US and UK must urgently turn the May deal into reality to remove the tariffs completely," he said.

Rowan Crozier, chief executive of metal-stamping firm Brandauer in Birmingham, said in the carve-out would mean UK-based firms would not be seeing the same import tariffs as global competitors, but he warned "far reaching" uncertainty was "the more damaging element".

"That's one thing that the Trump administration continues to do, is to create confusion, with the hope of getting a deal," he told the BBC's Today programme. "Essentially, our customers are less confident in forward planning, or ordering what they need".

Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith said: "Labour's botched negotiations have left businesses in limbo and this country simply cannot afford their continuing failure."