There has been debate in the USA about the imposition of 25 percent tariffs on foreign steel to protect national security and minimise foreign unfair steel imports.
The steel industry has mitigated the effect of these import issues through anti-dumping and countervailing duty trade cases. But when industry wins a trade case, imports of that product shift to another country. Imports include steel originating in China but then is shipped to third countries — such as South Korea, Vietnam or Turkey — for further processing before it is exported to the USA.
A comprehensive remedy was needed, to ensure the future of the American steel industry, which would pose a serious national security threat. That is why the president invoked Section 232 of U.S. trade law.