Almost four months after President Trump rattled Corporate America with stiff steel and aluminum tariffs, the Commerce Department has received a total of 26,403 exemption requests, more than four times as many as expected.

As of July 8, it has made final decisions on just 133 of the petitions, which seek waivers for supplies not readily available in U.S. markets and for which rising costs might threaten profits and even force small companies out of business.