Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1544707
14 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2026 F E AT U R E A RT I C L E If you work in surface mount assembly, EMS, or anywhere along the electronics supply chain, you probably think of tariffs as something that happens upstream: raw materials, bulk com- modities, maybe the occasional headache with Chinese imports. Steel and aluminum tariffs? That's someone else's problem. Not anymore. On April 2, President Trump signed a sweeping new proclamation that fundamentally restructures how Section 232 "national security" tariffs apply to steel, aluminum, copper, and their derivative prod- ucts. The changes took effect on April 6, and the ripple effects are headed straight for the electron- ics industry. A Quick Primer on Section 232 Since 2018, the U.S. has imposed tariffs on imported steel and aluminum under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, a statute that allows the President to restrict imports that threaten national security. Over time, the program expanded to BY JA M ES K I M , A R E N T F OX S C H I F F L L P How New Metals Tariffs Impact the Electronics Industry Editor's note: Tariff Terminal is a new series exploring how trade policy, tariffs, and customs developments impact the electronics manufacturing industry. This is the first installment.