President Trump signed a proclamation Thursday imposing tariffs as high as 100% on certain drones in an effort to boost domestic production and address national security concerns.
The proclamation imposes a 100% tariff on drones “of a certain size or with certain capabilities that are particularly sensitive for national security purposes,” including those with a maximum takeoff weight of more than 55 pounds and with thermal imaging capabilities, according to the White House.
Docking stations and critical components for these drones are also subject to the 100% levy.
Smaller imported drones will be hit with a 25% tariff.
A 15% tariff will be imposed on drones and components from the European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan, while a 10% fee will be tacked on to drones imported from the United Kingdom.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had been tasked by Trump to investigate the effects that imports of drones and their components had on national security and decided to impose the new duties after receiving a report from the Cabinet official, the president explained in the proclamation.
“The Secretary found that import penetration from foreign producers of [unmanned aerial systems] is substantial and that the United States is too reliant on foreign sources of UAS and UAS components,” Trump wrote.
Relying on imported drones “poses significant risks to US national security through our dependence on unreliable supply chains for an essential technology and the potential of significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities,” the president added, noting Lutnick found drone and drone components “from certain foreign entities pose security and safety risks.”
Trump further indicated that it was determined that not enough drone and drone components are produced within the US “to safely meet national security needs and that the need and demand for domestically produced UAS and UAS components will only increase.”
The president noted his administration had “concerns” about whether the US has the ability to produce drones “at the required speed and scale to adequately support national security operations and activities, including during a surge for wartime or armed conflict, or in a manner to sustain long-term economic competitiveness,” which the new tariffs aim to address.
Trump further argued that “unfair trade practices” disincentives US producers from investing in expanding drone manufacturing capacity.
The new tariffs on drones sensitive to national security will take effect in 21 days, while the levies on drones and components that are not particularly sensitive will take effect in 180 days.
