Trump Announces Drone Tariffs to Protect National Security, Bolster U.S. Supply Chains

By Fabiana Negrin Ochoa

President Trump has announced a slate of tariffs to address the national-security threat posed by imports of drones and their components.

In a statement, the White House said that the drone tariff program will protect the security of the U.S. and its defense and defense-adjacent industrial base, while creating jobs.

"U.S. drone production needs to be expanded rapidly to ensure U.S. national and economic security," it said.

According to the proclamation announced Thursday, the duties are tiered according to the capacity of the drones and their place of origin.

Bigger drones that have militarily-sensitive abilities such as thermal imaging are subject to a 100% ad valorem tariff, along with certain critical components. Smaller drones and components without the same implications for national security face a 25% levy.

A 15% tariff is imposed on products hailing from the European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, South Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan, with a 10% duty levied on drones from the U.K. under the condition that substantially all hardware, software and technology originate from within these countries and the U.S.

The proclamation also authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to establish an onshoring program for companies making new investments in manufacturing drones and drone components, in line with the administration's push to bolster national defense industries.

In May, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration was pursuing funding deals with a group of drone companies as part of its bid to increase domestic production and lower the costs of the increasingly vital weapons.

Separately, Trump also signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum aimed at fixing long-term issues in Navy shipbuilding and ship-repair programs, as well as restore capacity and competition to the maritime industrial base.

The memorandum directs the Defense Department to pursue more direct investments in the American shipbuilding industrial base, among other things, aiming to revitalize the shipbuilding industry and restore maritime dominance, the statement said.

The drone tariffs are set to take effect 21 days after the proclamation's signing. For components that aren't particularly sensitive, the duties will take effect after 180 days.

Write to Fabiana Negrin Ochoa at fabiana.negrinochoa@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 13, 2026 22:48 ET (02:48 GMT)