Trump's tariffs are adding steel mill jobs, and crushing American factories - Tue, 24 Feb 2026 PST
Word that the steel mill in Granite City, Illinois, was restarting a blast furnace resonated as a sign of America's industrial revival. The Trump administration had placed stiff tariffs on steel and aluminum. This was supposed to choke imports and force production back to U.S. factories. U.S. Steel, the owner of the mill, would hire some 400 additional union workers. Yet 500 miles to the north, in St. Paul, Minnesota, those same tariffs spelled something different for Eric Hawkins. His family-owned company, Park Tool, manufactures gadgets used to repair bicycles and exports them around the world. The tariffs have increased the cost of the steel and aluminum he uses to make his products. That has forced him to lift his prices by 10%, flattening sales growth.
