A Global Steel War Heats Up With Trump’s Latest Tariff Move (1)

President Donald Trump is unleashing sweeping import tariffs that he says will reverse the decline of America’s steel towns. But the US isn’t the only nation rushing to protect its factory heartlands.

The global steel market is barreling toward a war on multiple fronts as politicians pursue measures to stem imports of the industrial staple. South Korea and Vietnam are raising the barricades, the European Union is tightening safeguards, while mills in Latin America are angling for more protection.

More often than not, the target is China — the dominant producer whose exports surged close to a record last year. ...