The US President has announced new tariffs on drones and their components, aiming to curb dependency on foreign sources and address security concerns amid ongoing trade tensions.
President Donald Trump has moved to impose new tariffs on imports of drones and their parts, broadening a trade policy that the White House says is aimed at reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and addressing national security risks. According to the White House, the new measures cover drones of different sizes and capability levels, with the steepest duty set at 100% for certain models deemed especially sensitive. Smaller drones will face a 25% tariff.
The announcement also sets out country-specific rates for allies and partners. The White House said drones and components from the European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan will face a 15% tariff, while goods from Britain will be subject to a 10% duty. The decision extends Trump’s broader reliance on tariffs as a central tool of economic and foreign policy, despite legal challenges and criticism from analysts.
In the proclamation released by the White House, Trump said Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reviewed the impact of imports of unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, and concluded that foreign suppliers have a significant foothold in the market. Trump said Lutnick found the United States is too dependent on overseas sources for drones and their components and that those imports pose security risks. He also said domestic production is not yet sufficient to meet national security needs.
The new duties will take effect in 21 days, the White House said. Tariffs on parts that are not considered especially sensitive will begin 180 days after the proclamation was signed. The same delayed timetable will apply to products that the Pentagon approves for exemption from a Federal Communications Commission list within 20 days of the signing. The move comes as the administration continues a wider campaign of tariff expansion that has already been tested in court, including a separate federal ruling this week allowing Trump to keep tariffs on low-cost imports under the suspension of the long-standing de minimis exemption.
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