In written testimony submitted to the U.S. International Trade Commission in 2017, Century Aluminum executives said aluminum producers were being "decimated" by "unfair practices of Chinese aluminum producers." "American smelters from New York, to Indiana, to Washington have already closed their doors, depriving local workers and communities of sorely needed jobs and tax revenue," company officials wrote. "The continued viability of the aluminum industry outside of China, and especially in the United States, is dependent upon a prompt and effective solution to China's overcapacity and overproduction." In 2018, President Donald Trump levied tariffs on imported aluminum. The tariffs remain largely in place. However, in June, Century announced it was temporarily shutting down production at its largest U.S. plant, an aluminum smelter in nearby Hawesville, Kentucky. It was the only U.S. smelter to make high-purity "military grade" aluminum, used in fighter jets and in lightweight armor plating.