President Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on metal imports, sparking new global trade spats as he attempts to shield the U.S. economy from foreign competition.

By mid-2019, the tariffs were lifted for Canadian and Mexican imports, which accounted for 27% of the U.S.’s steel imports and 43% of its aluminum imports. The Biden administration later ended tariffs on European Union metals in 2021, amid record-high steel prices fueled by COVID-19 supply chain disruptions.