The US aluminum industry called on President Donald Trump to exempt Canadian imports of the raw metal from his planned tariffs to help protect jobs and domestic manufacturers.
Trump announced Saturday 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico and 10% from China.
The US is heavily reliant on imported aluminum, which is used in construction and a wide range of manufactured goods from car components to food packaging. Shipments of the lightweight metal from other countries accounted for 44% of the approximately 4 million tons consumed in 2023. Canada was the source of more than half those imports, according to Morgan Stanley.
“To ensure that American aluminum wins the future, President Trump should exempt the aluminum metal supply needed for American manufacturers, while continuing to take every possible action at the US border against unfairly traded Chinese aluminum,” the Aluminum Association said in a statement Saturday.
