President Trump has announced his plans to impose 25% steel and aluminum tariffs starting Monday. He has also announced plans to begin imposing “reciprocal tariffs”.

Reciprocal tariffs will match whatever the going tariff for that country is, so that if they tariff us, we tariff them equally. “Very simply, if they charge us, we charge them,” Trump said to reporters. “If they are charging us 130% and we’re charging them nothing, it’s not going to stay that way.” “Every country will be reciprocal” he added.

This is all an extension of Trump’s International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) which began on the first of February. This act included 25% tariff on Canada and Mexico with a 10% tariff on China. This act was made in order to eliminate drug trade over borders as well as to hinder illegal aliens from crossing the border. 

These acts have had mixed reactions with the public, but many foreign officials oppose them. Overall, the acts should strengthen American manufacturing and boost the US economy with less competition.