To expand the dictatorial President Donald Trump proceeded in steel and aluminum to include more than 400 consumer species containing metals, such as motorcycles and tableware. Customs agents and importers in the US were not adequately informed of the change, which came into force on Monday (18.8.25) and did not exclude the goods in transit.
The new list of duties was published by the Customs and Border Protection Service just when many were leaving for the weekend and appeared in the federal register on Tuesday (19.8.25), creating new headaches for commerce professionals. Official instructions have been confused, especially for goods already directed to the US, and it is not clear whether the duties on metals are added to the duties per country.
Having exceeded six months of Trump’s trade war (and earlier a pandemic) that caused mass supply disorders, it is difficult to upset carriers, cargo owners and intermediaries who maintain cross -border trade. But the range and speed of implementation of this latest notice were surprised by many, according to Bloomberg.
“We had many of these last -minute applications throughout 2025, and it in particular affects every customer I have in a huge degree,” Shannon Bryant, a Michigan -based Customs Messenger, said in an interview.
“The previous announcements included at least some exceptions during transport, so that at least importers can make rational market decisions,” said Bryant, president of the Compliance Counseling Service, Trade IQ.
The new list includes car spare parts, chemicals, plastic and furniture components – demonstrating the range of Trump’s power to use sectoral duties. This is separate from the executive power he cited for his so -called mutual duties.
“Basically, if it is glossy, metallic or even a little related to steel or aluminum, it is probably on the list. This is not just another duty – it is a strategic change in the way in which the derivatives of steel and aluminum are regulated, “Brian Baldwin, Vice President of Customs in the US in the Logistics Kuehne + Nagel International AG, wrote in a post on Linkedin.