Trump orders study of applying tariffs to copper imports

Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered his administration to study the possibility of imposing tariffs on copper, the latest move by the White House to tax a wide range of imports and alter international trade.

During a conference call with reporters, his trade adviser Peter Navarro described the decision as an effort to curb China's push for copper exports and to address a broader national security vulnerability.

There is also a desire to restore domestic copper mining, smelting and refining, given its potential use for industrial and military purposes.

Trump has long said that his trade goals are to ensure that imports equal exports so that the US does not run trade deficits.

But in fact, the US has a trade surplus in copper. In 2024, it exported $11.3 billion and imported $9.6 billion.

Trump has already announced a series of tariffs to match those that other states apply to imports from the US, in addition to specific tariffs on automobiles, semiconductors and medicines.

The intention to tax three trillion (one million million) worth of imports has raised concerns among economists, due to the effect on price increases and the cooling of the economy.