Aluminum Association President & CEO Charles Johnson issued the following statement in response to increased Section 232 tariffs of 25% for most aluminum imports: 

“The aluminum industry supports tariff-free access for Canadian aluminum in the tariffs implemented today. We appreciate President Trump’s focus and attention on growing and strengthening the U.S. aluminum industry, and there is a lot to like in today’s action. The domestic industry has invested more than $10 billion since 2016 mostly in mid-and-downstream production and recycling. This has been driven by growing demand, a competitive tax environment and strong, targeted trade enforcement the president supported in his first term. For this growth to continue, the U.S. aluminum industry needs two things – long-term market certainty and a reliable supply of affordable metal, which today comes in large part from Canada.” 

As articulated in a recent LinkedIn article, America needs aluminum. Aluminum is a critical material for our economy and national defense – used in everything from cars to beverage cans to fighter jets. Today, the United States is investing significantly and will need both smelted and recycled aluminum to meet growing demand. In the years if not decades it will take to build new U.S. smelter capacity, our metal needs must be met by importing. 

At the same time, the industry’s decades-long trading relationship with Canada is a good deal for America. The aluminum we import from Canada today is equivalent to the energy generated by at least 4 Hoover Dams. And just one Canadian smelter job supports about 13 U.S. aluminum jobs further downstream.  

“President Trump’s administration is aggressively pursuing multiple tariff initiatives on behalf of the broader U.S. economy. The U.S. aluminum industry needs certainty in this tariff landscape to support our growth and investment,” added Johnson. “Today’s action closes loopholes in existing Section 232 tariffs that will support our industry’s expansion. However, we encourage President Trump and his administration to deliver a deal with Canada to ensure robust metal supply for U.S. manufacturers and consumers as he did in his first term with the USMCA.”