New Rules on Drug and Metal Tariffs Spark Mixed Reactions One Year Later

A year after big tariffs were introduced, new rules now target drug prices and metals imports. The changes aim to revive duties lost when courts blocked earlier moves. Foreign drugmakers must agree to price cuts and build U. S. plants to avoid steep taxes. If they only move some production, they face a 20% tariff. Those refusing both get hit with a 100% duty. Not all countries face the same rules. The U. S. capped drug tariffs at 15% for key trading partners like Europe and Japan. A separate deal with Britain ensures zero tariffs on UK-made medicines for three years as British firms increase output in America. Big drug companies get 120 days to comply, while smaller ones have six months.Metals rules also changed. Duties on many steel, aluminum, and copper products dropped from 50% to 25%. Some items with little metal content, like dental floss containers, are now exempt. Products with over 15% metal content still face higher taxes. The shift simplifies tangled trade laws that once confused importers. These moves follow a failed attempt a year ago to slap tariffs on nearly all imports. That plan faced backlash from other countries, legal challenges, and court rulings. The Supreme Court recently called those tariffs illegal, forcing refunds worth billions. Industry groups are split. Business leaders warn that new costs could hurt families and manufacturers already struggling with inflation. Steel producers, however, praise the changes as a smart way to protect U. S. industry without harming the broader economy.