A group from the Montana legislative assembly is asking President Trump to consider implementing a 50% tariff on palladium imports from Russia. This request comes after a multinational mining company from the state made a similar appeal earlier this month.
Republican Senators Tim Sheehy and Steve Daines are leading the charge. In a letter sent Thursday, they urged officials to “curb Russia’s harmful trade practices and safeguard American jobs and crucial mineral production.”
“We specifically recommend that a 50% tariff be placed on untapped palladium imports from Russia to address ongoing market manipulation and dumping,” the lawmakers stated.
Russia has become a significant supplier of palladium in the U.S., with exports increasing by 42% last year.
Palladium is vital for catalytic converters, which help reduce 90% of harmful emissions from car exhaust.
Mining company Sibanye-Stillwater expressed concern that prices could spike, potentially disrupting the global market and benefiting major suppliers like Russia and South Africa.
“Russia effectively controls the world’s palladium output and uses this dominance to undermine American producers,” noted the Republican group.
They added, “By flooding the U.S. market with low-cost palladium, supported by substantial state subsidies and lax environmental regulations, Russia aims to eliminate domestic competition and secure monopoly control over minerals crucial for our defense and energy needs.”
The incident involving Sibanye-Stillwater on July 30 is scheduled for federal review next year, but Montana Republicans emphasized the urgency for a timely response from the White House.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is also engaged in peace discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the conflict in Ukraine. Earlier this month, Trump opted against reintroducing secondary sanctions on Russia, which raised some eyebrows.
The Hill has reached out to the White House for further comments.
