Trump to Roll Back Some Steel and Aluminum Tariffs to Ease ‘Affordability Crisis’
US President Donald Trump plans to reduce or exempt certain steel and aluminum tariffs after facing a rising “affordability crisis” that has eroded his support ahead of the November midterms. Last summer the administration imposed tariffs up to 50% on steel and aluminum and expanded levies to many metal goods including washing machines and ovens. According to three people familiar with the matter, the Commerce Department and U.S. Trade Representative officials are reviewing the product list affected by the tariffs and intend to carve out exemptions for some items and halt further tariff expansion. Instead of broad new tariffs, officials plan more targeted national-security investigations on specific products. Trade officials argue the tariffs have raised prices for cans, food and beverages and other consumer goods, harming consumers. Countries such as the UK, Mexico, Canada and EU members could benefit if the U.S. eases these measures. (Main keywords: steel tariffs, aluminum tariffs, tariffs exemption, affordability crisis, US trade policy.)
Neutral
This news is primarily trade and fiscal-policy driven rather than crypto-specific, so its direct impact on cryptocurrencies is limited and thus classified as neutral. Reducing steel and aluminum tariffs may modestly ease consumer price pressures and influence broader macroeconomic sentiment. In the short term, traders could see mild risk-on sentiment if markets interpret tariff rollbacks as easing inflationary pressures and political risk—supporting equities and potentially crypto briefly. However, any effect on crypto liquidity, institutional flows, or regulatory stance is indirect and likely small. Historically, commodity or tariff policy shifts that lower inflation expectations have produced brief positive moves in risk assets but no sustained crypto trend unless combined with major monetary or fiscal changes. Over the longer term, unless tariff changes materially shift US fiscal revenue, trade balances, or trigger major geopolitical shifts, crypto markets are unlikely to experience sustained direction changes caused solely by this development.