US PRESIDENT Donald Trump has announced plans to introduce 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the US, in a move tipped to put further pressure on Australian suppliers.

The President told reporters he will announce the new metals tariffs on Monday, US time, with reciprocal tariffs to be announced in the days after.

“And very simply, it’s, if they charge us, we charge them,” Trump said of the reciprocal tariff plan.

According to current data, the largest sources of US steel imports are Canada, Brazil and Mexico, followed by South Korea and Vietnam.

However, Australian suppliers may be left feeling the pressure of the upcoming tariffs, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced in Parliament today that he has an upcoming call with the President where they will discuss the trade concerns.

“We will continue to make the case to the United States for Australia to be given an exemption to any steel or aluminium tariffs,” Prime Minister Albanese said.

Bruce Herbert is a senior Strategic Advisor at TMX Transform, a consultancy specialising in supply chain, and spoke about how the upcoming tarriffs will make Australia’s energy debate even more crucial, ahead of the next federal election.

“Australian suppliers are barely coping as it is,” Mr Herbet said. “We have some of the highest energy prices in the world. Tomago Alumnium is Australia’s biggest electricity user and its smelter, near Newcastle, consumes ten percent of New South Wales’ electricity supply”.

“The tariffs, plus an increasing push towards reshoring, is applying pressure on Australian suppliers who already bear incredibly high costs even compared to the US.

“Given this cost of energy and the myriad other disruptors – inflation, cost of shipping, labour shortages – tariffs will simply compound the pressure.”

Mr Herbert explained that major decisions about supply chains take time to implement, and production infrastructure and systems takes years to transition.

“Trump can utter a few words about tariffs overnight, but complex supply chain transformation can’t happen that fast,” he said.

“Even if the tariffs do not stick – if they are indeed just another cynical negotiating tactic by Trump – it is a tough time manufacture in Australia, regardless of government messaging around the supposed appeal of local manufacturing.”

President Trump announced the upcoming tariffs to reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to the NFL Super Bowl in New Orleans, becoming the first sitting President to attend a Super Bowl.