Trump takes victory lap as U.S. steel industry sees tariff-related boom

ROME, Ga. — President Trump toured a steel plant in Georgia to promote the Made-in-USA power of his tariffs Thursday, saying his massive levies on imported metal are working and the Supreme Court had better uphold his broader trade plans.

Mr. Trump said plants like Coosa Steel are seeing a turnaround as a 50% tariff prevents dumping from foreign nations and lifts domestic production.

“Thanks to what I call the Trump tariffs, business at Coosa Steel is booming again,” he told the raucous crowd that chanted “USA! USA!” “Without tariffs, this country would be in such trouble right now.”

Mr. Trump is waiting for a decision from the Supreme Court that will determine whether he can impose blanket tariffs on imported goods. They can protect domestic industries, but Democrats and others say the breadth of Mr. Trump’s levies will raise costs on American firms and consumers.

The Supreme Court case does not affect his sector-specific tariffs on imports such as steel, though Mr. Trump complained about the wait for a decision during his remarks at the plant.

“Without tariffs … everybody would be bankrupt. The whole country would be bankrupt,” Mr. Trump said. “And I have to wait for this [court] decision. I have been waiting forever. The language is clear that I have the right to do it as president.”

So far, the steel industry is happy with the industry-specific tariffs.

Kevin Dempsey, the president and CEO of the American Iron and Steel Institute, said domestic steel production was up 3.1% in 2025 versus 2024.

The U.S. surpassed Japan as the third-biggest steel producer in 2025, now trailing only China and India.

AISI said tariffs were driving down imports. It reported a decrease of 12.6% from 2024 to 2025, down to 25.2 million tons.

“The last time we’ve been below 26 million tons of imports was in 2020, which of course was the COVID shutdown year,” Mr. Dempsey said. “Other than the 2020 aberrational year, you have to go back to 2010.”

Some steel-using producers have complained about high costs for the metal following the imposition of tariffs.

The Peterson Institute for International Economics found that 25% tariffs imposed during Mr. Trump’s first term boosted steel industry profits and jobs. But the annual cost to steel-using industries was “a hefty $650,000 for each steel job saved,” the institute said.

Steel industry officials say the domestic industry remains competitive and prices are easing. Prices rose in early 2025 but softened later in the year and continued to go downward in 2026.

“We think the tariffs are fully justified given the problem of global over-capacity,” Mr. Dempsey said.

Mr. Trump had two aims in visiting Georgia. He wanted to promote his economic agenda and stump for Clay Fuller, a Republican running for the U.S. House seat formerly held by Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Mr. Fuller is a district attorney who served as a White House fellow in 2018-2019, during Mr. Trump’s first term.

Eighteen candidates are running for the seat. The special election is March 10, with a runoff planned for April 7 if no one can get to 50% in the initial round.

Ms. Greene, a Republican, rose to prominence as a faithful ally to Mr. Trump. But the pair had a falling out last year, with Ms. Greene pointing to her push to release the so-called Epstein Files and complaints that Mr. Trump abandoned his MAGA principles with forays abroad.

Mr. Trump started calling her “Marjorie Traitor Greene,” and she resigned from Congress in January.

Mr. Trump also tested the popularity of his push for stringent voter rules during a stop at The Varsity, a retro-style eatery serving American classics.

“Who likes voter ID?” he asked the crowd.

His query drew loud cheers.

• Tom Howell Jr. reported from New Jersey.