Trump Imposes 100% Tariff On Foreign Drugs, Expands Metal Duties

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed two new executive orders that intensify his trade agenda, imposing a 100% tariff on many foreign made patented and branded drugs while overhauling duties on steel, aluminium, and copper.

The moves come exactly one year after Trump’s Liberation Day announcement of broad tariffs on goods from dozens of countries.

Although the Supreme Court struck down parts of those global tariffs in February 2026, the administration has continued using other legal authorities to push similar policies aimed at bringing manufacturing back to the United States.

One order targets patented and branded pharmaceutical products made abroad and imposes a 100% tariff unless companies commit to building manufacturing plants in America.

Large companies have 120 days to submit reshoring plans, while smaller companies get 180 days before the full duty takes effect. Companies that go ahead to build plants to be completed by the end of Trump’s second term will face a reduced 20% tariff instead of 100%.

The European Union, Japan, South Korea, and Switzerland will pay a lower 15% rate due to earlier trade agreements with the United States. Drug companies that also reach Most Favored Nation pricing agreements with the Trump administration while building US plants could be fully exempt from the steep tariff.

A senior US official said the administration expects the majority of the world’s patented pharmaceuticals to eventually be produced in America.

The policy is designed to pressure pharmaceutical companies to relocate production to the US, reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, and potentially lower drug prices through domestic manufacturing and negotiated agreements.

A second executive order reshapes existing 50% tariffs on steel, aluminium, and copper.

Importers will now pay duties based on the actual prices faced by American buyers rather than lower declared prices that officials say are sometimes manipulated. In addition, finished products containing more than 15% steel, aluminium, or copper by value will now face a 25% tariff on their full value instead of just the metal portion, a move the administration described as a simplification and fairness measure. These changes are set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Monday.

Responding to concerns about rising consumer prices ahead of midterm elections, a White House official insisted the measures would not affect the price of goods on store shelves and dismissed fears about affordability.

Trump’s broader trade policy is aimed at reviving American industry, creating jobs, generating revenue, and encouraging investment.

Supporters argue that such measures protect U.S. workers and strengthen national security, while critics warn that high tariffs could increase the cost of medicines and everyday goods, disrupt global supply chains, and trigger retaliation from trading partners.

They also note that expected job creation and investment gains from earlier tariffs have not fully materialised.

For Nigeria and other African countries that rely heavily on imported pharmaceuticals from Europe, India, and elsewhere, the new tariffs could tighten global supply and push up prices, potentially affecting access to affordable medicines.

Changes in metal tariffs may also increase the cost of imported goods that depend on steel, aluminium, or copper, including vehicles, machinery, and construction materials, with possible ripple effects across African economies.