From Steel to Pills: Trump’s Tariff Weapon Gets a Big Upgrade
trade-wars
Section 232 national-security tariffs, once limited to steel and aluminium, now reach copper and patented pharmaceuticals — turning ‘national security’ into a catch-all trade rationale.
The Trump administration has expanded Section 232 national-security tariffs — originally reserved for steel and aluminium — to cover copper and patented pharmaceuticals. The US imports roughly $10–12 billion of copper and over $150 billion of drugs a year, with European and UK producers among the largest suppliers. The expansion signals that “national security” is becoming a catch-all justification for tariffs, raising the risk of allied retaliation and leaving firms unable to predict which sectors might be hit next, even close allies.
Originally published on Substack, April 7, 2026.