Donald Trump’s policy could provide a crucial tariff break to a Luxembourg-based company, ArcelorMittal, the world’s second-largest steelmaker. According to the New York Times, the move came days after Trump announced receiving a donation of foreign steel for his ballroom project.
Trump praised ArcelorMittal during a White House event, saying the company donated steel valued at $37 million.
Trump, who has promoted “Buy America” policies and vowed to protect American steel, has secured tens of millions of dollars worth of donated foreign steel for his $400 million ballroom project, report @AnaSwanson and @lukebroadwater. https://t.co/gbKddES2ib
— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) April 9, 2026
As reported by Raw Story, the President commented, “He said, ‘Sir, I’d like to donate the steel for your ballroom. “I said: ‘Whoa, that’s nice.’ And I found out — ‘How much is the steel?’ I called the contractor. ‘Sir, it’s down for $37 million.’ I said, ‘This is a nice donation, right?’”
Shortly afterward, the Trump administration adjusted tariffs in a way that could reduce duties by roughly half on automotive steel exported from an ArcelorMittal plant in Canada, according to Raw Story.
The New York Times report further added, “Mr. Trump described the metal as ‘great steel as opposed to garbage steel, because they dump a lot of garbage around. You know, steel is like everything else, including human beings. Steel could be high quality, and it can be low quality. He wants to make sure it’s high quality.’”
The President’s tariffs made it clear that home-grown products are what his administration is promoting, but this move goes against that policy, as noted by Raw Story. The Steel Manufacturers’ Association even claimed they were “ready to supply the high-quality, American-made steel” Trump needed for his ballroom.
Trump’s ballroom project had been in much controversy after a federal judge halted its construction. According to The Guardian, U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ruled that if Congress does not approve the project, preservation groups that filed suit would likely prevail.
Trump on Ballroom: I thought I’d do this now because it’s easier. I’m so busy that I don’t have time to do this—fighting wars and other things. This is very important. pic.twitter.com/XL2QZPHkfv
— Acyn (@Acyn) March 30, 2026
This is because “no statute comes close to giving the president the authority he claims to have.”
The US National Park Service recently filed a motion arguing that halting construction creates a national security risk.
In its filing, the agency said the order is “threatening grave national-security harms to the White House, the president and his family, and the president’s staff.”
The filing also stated that plans include a bomb shelter, military infrastructure, and a medical facility, describing the structure as “heavily fortified.”
Trump also claimed this when he talked about the ballroom on Air Force One. He stated, “The military is building a big complex under the ballroom, which has come out recently because of a stupid lawsuit that was filed,” as reported by NPR.
