Overview
- President Donald Trump confirmed the 50% tariff on copper imports after receiving a national security assessment under Section 232.
- The White House says the measure is needed to ensure sufficient copper for military equipment, semiconductors and high-tech industries.
- U.S. imports account for nearly half of its copper consumption, with Chile as the largest supplier amid declining domestic mining capacity.
- This move extends earlier Section 232 duties on steel, aluminum, autos, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals to protect strategic supply chains.
- Trump criticized past leaders as “foolish” and “sleepy” for weakening the U.S. copper industry and vowed to restore a domestic production “golden age.”