No president in my lifetime has been bolder in the defense of American families, farmers, manufacturers and workers than Donald J. Trump. From the very beginning of his presidency, President Trump understood that crooked trade deals and globalist betrayals were sucking dry America's heartland, extinguishing good-paying jobs, and making us frighteningly dependent on foreign enemies like China.
That is why President Trump's tough tariffs are not just justified—they are necessary. After years of watching politicians from both parties bow down to Beijing and Brussels, we finally had a president who dared to stand up and say, "Enough!" No more passes for cheaters. No more selling American jobs and national security for the sake of convenient but terrible trade deals.
However, effective and firm leadership also entails acknowledging when a policy must be adjusted to reflect the realities on the ground. That’s the case with tin mill products, including tinplate steel, a specialized steel used to produce food cans for everything from beans and broth, carrots and corn to tomatoes and tuna.
President Trump's instincts are correct. The world's worst actors, led by China, have used artificially subsidized steel to undermine American manufacturers and producers. That had to stop. And thanks to President Trump, it did.
However, tinplate steel is not the kind used in skyscrapers, pipelines, or battleships. It is a specialty product that does not impact defense or national security. However, keeping food affordable for American families is crucial, so a more tailored approach is needed, not blanket tariffs.
Since the first steel tariffs were imposed in 2018, American steelmakers have focused on more profitable commodities and products. Nine of the twelve tinplate-making lines in the country have been shut down, leaving only three operating today, none of which can meet full demand.
As a result, American can manufacturers now have no choice but to import 70 percent of the tinplate they need just to keep food cans on grocery store shelves. But now they have to pay an extra 25 percent for that product — a fee that does not hurt China but hits American families, farmers and food makers.
This isn’t what President Trump intended. He sought to revive American manufacturing, not outsource it abroad. But unless this policy changes, that’s precisely what will happen. American manufacturers simply can’t compete with cheaper, foreign-made canned food with lower-cost and highly-subsidized steel.
Nearly 30 percent of the United States' imported canned foods today come from the People’s Republic of China, where subsidized steel and cheap and/or forced labor undercuts American manufacturers and producers.
This hurts American jobs, threatens our food security, and increases grocery costs, especially for working-class families and seniors on a fixed income. Since 2020, the cost of canned fruit and vegetables has risen by more than 30 percent, a pressing problem for millions of families who rely on accessible and affordable canned foods.
The solution is simple and straightforward: President Trump should exempt tinplate steel from Section 232 tariffs. Tinplate isn’t a national security product and keeping it under tariff protection only serves the interests of foreign competitors and rivals at the expense of American families and workers.
This isn’t an appeal to reverse tariffs across the board; to the contrary, tariffs work when they are specifically aimed and targeted at our trading enemies, like China, which rigs the system to their benefit. But tinplate steel is a different story altogether. With nearly zero domestic production, this is one area where shrewd dealmaking and leadership call for a targeted exception to protect American workers and keep food prices low.
President Trump understands the importance of being flexible and making common-sense policy adjustments that benefit most Americans. That is why his economic agenda is so successful. This tinplate steel situation is a no-brainer that would further his pro-family/pro-worker agenda. President Trump’s trade policy should be tough where it matters and smart where it counts.
Ken Blackwell is a distinguished thought leader at the Family Research Council and the America First Policy Institute. He is the chairman of the Conservative Action Project.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member