As President Donald Trump implements mass tariffs on other countries, his wife’s home nation of Slovenia could see some major disruptions to its steel and aluminum industry.
Trump, who imposed 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico in early March, has also enacted a tariff of 25 percent on all global imports of steel and aluminum.
Why It Matters
Slovenian manufacturers are raising alarm over the potential renewal and expansion of U.S. import tariffs under Trump’s second term, warning that higher costs could strip them of competitiveness in the American market.
With Slovenia’s steel and aluminum sectors especially exposed, a downturn in U.S. exports could have a significant effect. Slovenia—where first lady Melania Trump was born—has an export-oriented economy and sends about one-fifth of its U.S.-bound goods in the form of steel and aluminum, according to the Slovenia Times.
What To Know
The Slovenian Steel Group (SIJ), which generates about 10 percent of its total sales from U.S. customers, said the new duties would hurt its competitiveness, especially if existing quota and exemption systems were revised or removed.
“We have been present in the U.S. for more than 30 years with our own company SIJ Americas,” the company told the Slovenian Press Agency. “The suspension of quotas and exemptions, and any further increase in import duties would affect our price competitiveness in relation to U.S. steel producers.”
Slovenia, which is located in Central Europe, relies heavily on international trade. In 2024, it exported more than 91 million euros in steel products and 32.5 million euros in aluminum products to the United States, the Slovenia Times reported—significant figures for a nation of just over 2 million people.
Slovenia’s main exports to the U.S. also include pharmaceuticals, electrical machinery and glassware, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration.
While not a major trade partner overall—Slovenia accounts for less than 0.1 percent of total U.S. imports and exports—the U.S. remains a vital outlet for niche Slovenian industries. Steel and aluminum made up about 11 percent of total U.S.-bound Slovenian exports in 2024.
Aluminum processor Impol, once reliant on U.S. sales for a tenth of its revenue, has seen that figure plummet to below 3 percent because of prior antidumping measures during Trump’s first term.
“Additional tariffs in the U.S. do not bode well in the context of an unfavorable market situation in Europe,” the company said, according to the Slovenia Times, “as we will face even greater competitive pressures in an already challenging environment and further limited market opportunities.”
Melania Trump’s Slovenian Roots
The debate over trade policy comes as Slovenia returns to the international stage via a familiar figure—the first lady of the United States. Born in the small town of Sevnica, Melania Knauss grew up in what locals say was a more developed and nuanced society than American portrayals often suggest.
In 1996, she moved to the U.S. to pursue a modeling career, obtained a green card in 2001 and became an American citizen on July 28, 2006.
Film director Jurij Gruden, who produced a documentary on Melania Trump, said the attention placed him under a polarized spotlight.
“The polarization is insanely strong and it immediately affects you when you cover her or the Trumps in general,” he told Politico earlier this year, adding, “It’s difficult to have a rational conversation, no matter what side of the political spectrum you belong to.”
While reactions in Slovenia are mixed, some citizens express pride in seeing one of their own in the White House, even if Melania Trump remains largely detached from local life.
“Some in Slovenia don’t like her because she seems to show barely any interest in [the] country itself, not having visited for many years,” Gruden said.
Still, her presence has elevated Slovenia’s name recognition during pivotal economic discussions. For local exporters, that renewed visibility may be their best hope for keeping doors open to U.S. markets amid shifting trade winds.
Supporters of the tariffs argue that they are necessary to protect U.S. industries. Trump’s administration has framed the import duties as a tool to revitalize American manufacturing and reduce dependency on foreign materials. But critics warn that the move could backfire, especially in key sectors where the U.S. lacks domestic capacity.
What People Are Saying
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “Slovenia could be hard hit by steel and aluminum tariffs. … Obviously, this being the birth country of the current first lady is going to draw attention to the economic stress this could put on the nation’s companies and workers. At the same point, sympathy to partner nations hasn’t deterred President Trump so far in implementing his tariff-based economic policy.”
Matt Schulz, the chief consumer finance analyst at LendingTree, told Newsweek: “It is almost impossible to know what to expect for the year ahead, simply because the whole situation with tariffs has been extremely fluid. No one quite knows how big the tariffs will be, how long they will last and so on, so predicting too far ahead is a real challenge.”
What Happens Next
The European Union has announced retaliatory tariffs against Trump’s steel and aluminum sanctions on about $28 billion of U.S. exports.
Tariffs of $8 billion on U.S. imports were scheduled for April 1, with a second set issued for April 13. That plan was delayed days later and rescheduled for April 13. Items such as blue jeans, bourbon and Harley-Davidson motorcycles could be affected.
Beene said Trump’s family connection was unlikely to deter any tariff plans in Central Europe.
He said, “Even with the link to his family, the President more than likely won’t step down if he’s determined to implement them, and such tariffs could not only affect the economic standing of Slovenians but also U.S. residents who purchase products from the country.”
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