Trump announces steep tariffs on drones, citing US reliance on foreign suppliers

US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday new tariffs on imported drones and their components, citing the country's over-reliance on foreign suppliers. The tariffs, effective in 21 days for most drones, will include a 100% ad valorem tariff on national security-sensitive drones and a 25% tariff on smaller drones. Additionally, a 15% tariff will apply to drones and components from the EU, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Switzerland, and Taiwan, while a 10% tariff will be imposed on those from the UK. Trump stated that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's investigation found that "the United States is too reliant on foreign sources of UAS and UAS components" and that certain foreign entities "pose security and safety risks."