SECURING AMERICAN DRONE DOMINANCE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed a Proclamation to address the national security threat posed by imports of drones and their components, including by strengthening America’s drone industry and supply chain. The Proclamation imposes a 100% ad valorem tariff on drones of a certain size or with certain capabilities that are particularly sensitive for national security purposes, docking stations of these drones, and certain critical components of these drones. This drone category includes drones with a maximum takeoff weight of more than 25 kilograms and drones with thermal imaging capabilities.
The Proclamation imposes a 25% ad valorem tariff on certain drones that are smaller in size and lack certain capabilities that particularly implicate national security, and on other drone components. The Proclamation imposes a 15% ad valorem tariff on drones and components from the European Union, Japan, Liechtenstein, Republic of Korea, Switzerland, and Taiwan, and a 10% ad valorem tariff for drones from the United Kingdom, provided that substantially all hardware, software, and technology originates from within these countries and the United States.
The Proclamation authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to establish an onshoring program for companies making new investments in manufacturing drones and drone components. The tariffs will take effect 21 days after signing. For components of drones that are not particularly sensitive, the tariffs will take effect 180 days after signing. For products and components that the Department of War has approved for an exemption from the Federal Communications Commission’s Covered List within 20 days of signing, the tariffs will take effect 180 days after signing.
STRENGTHENING NATIONAL SECURITY: President Trump’s drone tariff program will protect the national security of the United States and its defense and defense-adjacent industrial base, supporting and creating American jobs. Drones are a key technology in modern armed conflict…