US President Donald Trump has officially doubled tariffs on steel and aluminium imports, raising the rate from 25 to 50 percent.

This new measure, which takes effect today, is aimed at supporting the struggling US metals sector by reducing foreign competition.

However, the UK has been exempted from this tariff hike, subject to the government acting quickly and finalising the trade deal agreement which was announced on May 8th.

Under the terms of this agreement, the UK should receive a zero-tariff quota for steel if it meets specific US security requirements, including ensuring that China is excluded from its steel supply chains.

Despite this exemption, the process of implementing the deal has faced delays, creating uncertainty for UK businesses, and British steel producers will continue to face a 25 percent duty rate until the deal is fully implemented.

However, Trump’s executive order leaves room for potential future increases in tariffs. The president has stated that if the UK fails to comply with the deal’s terms, the US could raise the steel and aluminium tariffs to the 50 percent level.

This could take effect as early as July 9th, which leaves UK steel producers facing a critical deadline and ongoing uncertainty regarding trade terms until the new deal is finalised.