President Donald Trump instructed Commerce Department Secretary Howard Lutnick to review whether copper tariffs are required to protect national security.
The U.S. imports about 45% of the copper used in the country. Chile and Canada are the top copper exporters to the U.S.
The investigation will use authority under Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act to determine whether national security interests require tariffs to be issued. The president used Section 232 reviews to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum products during his first term in office.
Lutnick said, “Like our steel and aluminum industries, our great American copper industry has been decimated by global actors attacking our domestic production. To build back our copper industry, I will investigate the imposition of possible tariffs.”
The Section 232 authority requires an investigation within 270 days, culminating in a report with recommendations sent to the White House.
