Pointing to national security concerns, on July 30 President Trump raised copper tariffs to 50 percent. 

According to the announcement from the White House, an investigation into copper imports by the Secretary of Commerce concluded that "copper is being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States."

The White House announcement noted that the Secretary's report concluded that "unfair trade practices abroad" and "overly burdensome environmental regulations at home" had "hollowed out" U.S. copper production and "caused the United States to be overly reliant on foreign copper imports." 

This situation, the Secretary of Commerce advised the President, has caused "a national security vulnerability that could be exploited by foreign countries," that weakened American industry and that has exposed "the American people to supply chain disruptions, economic instability, and strategic vulnerabilities."

In response, the President concluded that a strong protectionist tariff on copper was needed. As a result, all imports of "semi-finished" copper products along with "intensive copper derivative products" will be subject to the 50 percent tariff. 

The increased tariff on copper will take effect on August 1, 2025.

President Trump's Viewpoint 

According to President Trump, the new copper tariff will have several benefits.

"In my judgment, the action in this proclamation will, among other things, help increase domestic production of semi-finished copper products and intensive copper derivative products, thereby reducing our Nation’s reliance on foreign sources," President Trump said in the proclamation. 

Trump continued: "It will ensure that domestic fabricators are able to supply sufficient quantities of copper products essential for infrastructure, defense systems, and advanced manufacturing. This action will also promote investment, employment, and innovation in the domestic copper fabrication sector, strengthen supply chains, enhance industrial resilience, and generate meaningful economic benefits. This action will adjust the imports of semi-finished copper products, intensive copper derivative products, and certain other copper derivatives and is necessary and appropriate to address the threat to impair the national security of the United States posed by imports of such articles."

Read More: President Trump's Full Proclamation