While no formal notice has been published by the Department of Commerce yet, President Donald Trump tweeted today that Section 232 tariffs will be re-imposed on imports of steel and aluminum products from Argentina and Brazil. In an early morning tweet, the president announced that “Brazil and Argentina have been presiding over a massive devaluation of their currencies, which is not good for our farmers. Therefore, effective immediately, I will restore the Tariffs on all Steel & Aluminum that is shipped into the U.S. from those countries.”
Brazil and Argentina have been presiding over a massive devaluation of their currencies. which is not good for our farmers. Therefore, effective immediately, I will restore the Tariffs on all Steel & Aluminum that is shipped into the U.S. from those countries. The Federal….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 2, 2019
It appears that both Trump administration and industry officials were surprised by the announcement. Argentina and Brazil were excluded from these tariffs early in the Section 232 process when both agreed to voluntary quotas on their imports, and Trump stated that measures were in place to address the impairment to national security threatened by imports of steel and aluminum from Argentina, Brazil and Australia (see Trump and Trade Updates of June 1, 2018 and August 31, 2018).