Trump orders new pharma tariff, reshapes metal duties

WASHINGTON

Workers handle steel rods at a steel market in Hangzhou, in eastern China's Zhejiang province, on March 31, 2026.

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered sweeping new tariffs on medicines and metals, intensifying his trade agenda a year after launching global trade wars.

One order imposes a 100-percent tariff on patented pharmaceuticals made abroad unless companies commit to building plants in the United States. Large firms have 120 days to present “reshoring plans,” smaller ones 180 days.

Those agreeing to build facilities face a reduced 20-percent tariff, while the EU, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland will pay 15 percent due to existing trade deals. Drugmakers striking “Most Favored Nation” pricing agreements and investing locally may be exempt.

The second order reshapes Trump’s 50-percent tariffs on steel, aluminum and copper, requiring importers to pay duties based on U.S. market prices. Finished goods containing more than 15 percent of these metals will now face a 25-percent tariff on full value, a change officials call “simplification and fairness.”

The measures coincide with the anniversary of Trump’s so‑called “Liberation Day,” when he first imposed tariffs on dozens of economies. Although the Supreme Court struck down those global duties in February, Trump has sought to reinstate them under different authorities.

Officials argue the moves will revive American industry and jobs, but critics warn of higher consumer costs and limited economic gains. The White House insists affordability will not be affected, saying “these will not impact the price of goods on the shelf.”