Trump's June 2026 Tariff Shift: Lower Duties on Some Steel and Aluminum Products, But New Risks for Brazil
Welcome back to Brazil Tariff News and Tracker, where we help listeners make sense of fast‑moving trade headlines and what they mean for Brazil.
According to a June 1, 2026 policy alert from accounting and advisory firm BDO, President Trump has just signed a new proclamation reshaping U.S. tariffs on imported steel, aluminum, copper, and a wide range of derivative products under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. BDO reports that the administration is adjusting the tiered ad valorem tariff system of 50%, 25%, and 15% that was rolled out in April, with changes that run from June 8, 2026 through the end of 2027.
For Brazilian producers, especially in metals and industrial goods, the headline is that some tariffs on derivative aluminum and steel products are being reduced from 25% down to 15% when those products are used in agricultural and industrial equipment, including certain HVAC and machinery components. According to BDO, the White House says this is meant to ease pressure on U.S. industries that rely heavily on these imports as inputs, signaling that supply‑chain concerns are beginning to outweigh blanket protectionism in some categories.
At the same time, the proclamation is not all good news. BDO notes that new categories of derivative products, specifically steel racks and aluminum lithographic plates, are being brought under a 25% duty, tightening the net around higher‑value, processed metal products. For Brazilian exporters aiming to move up the value chain, this is a reminder that Washington is still using tariffs as a strategic tool to steer where in the supply chain foreign producers can compete.
There is also a technical but important shift in rules of origin. BDO explains that the required U.S.-origin content threshold for a product to qualify as “entirely” made from U.S. metal has been lowered from 95% to 85%. That means goods with up to 15% foreign steel, aluminum, or copper can still qualify for a favorable 10% tariff rate. For Brazilian firms that are part of global production networks, this opens a potential back‑door: partnering with U.S. manufacturers, or routing semi‑finished Brazilian metal into U.S. plants, could keep some access to the American market at lower tariff levels, rather than facing the full 15–25% or higher.
Zooming out, UK investment house Charles Stanley reports that President Trump has “reignited tariff concerns” more broadly, floating duties around 10% to 12.5% on imports from roughly 60 trading partners worldwide. Brazil is not at the center of the political rhetoric the way China is, but any generalized tariff move by Washington risks catching Brazilian exports in the crossfire, particularly in steel, agriculture‑related machinery, and manufactured goods.
At the same time, The Spirits Business points to a major U.S. Supreme Court ruling that has found many of Trump’s earlier tariffs illegal, triggering a complicated process of tariff refunds. This legal backdrop matters for Brazil because it underlines how fragile and contested the U.S. tariff framework has become: today’s duty on a Brazilian product could be tomorrow’s refund claim, making long‑term planning and pricing much harder for Brazilian businesses.
For Brazilian policymakers and exporters, three themes stand out. First, the U.S. is moving from a simple “high tariff versus low tariff” world into a far more granular regime, with rates tied to specific products, uses, and origin rules. Second, despite targeted cuts like the drop from 25% to 15% on some derivative products, the direction of travel is still toward using tariffs as leverage in industrial and geopolitical strategy. Third, legal uncertainty in the U.S. means every new tariff measure carries the risk of being reversed later, adding a layer of volatility that Brazil will have to monitor closely.
We’ll keep tracking how these evolving U.S. policies play out in Brazilian factories, ports, and boardrooms, and how they ripple through currency markets, investment decisions, and employment in key export hubs like Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an update on Brazil’s place in the global tariff storm.
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