Trump Announces 50% Tariff on Copper Imports Starting August 1
The decision aims to strengthen domestic supply chains for copper, a vital resource for key sectors such as energy, transportation, telecommunications, and defense.
President Donald Trump has announced that, starting August 1, 2025, the United States will impose a 50% tariff on copper imports, following a Section 232 investigation.
This latest round of sectoral tariffs aims to promote the growth of domestic copper production, which is considered essential for the country’s defense, electronics, and automotive sectors.
According to a Truth Social post by Trump, this follows “a robust national security assessment.”
The move mirrors earlier investigations that led to increased tariffs on steel and aluminum.
The 50% tariff will apply to both raw copper and semi‑finished copper products, including components for power grids, military systems, and data centers.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is expected to issue guidance with compliance instructions and updates to the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS).
Trump also stated that a tariff on pharmaceutical imports would be announced soon, and it could be as high as 200%.
The U.S. currently produces just over half of the refined copper it consumes each year, with the remainder—just under 1 million metric tons—supplied through imports.
In 2024, more than 90% of refined copper imports came from just Chile, Canada, and Peru.
This prompted the White House to issue Executive Order 14220 on February 25, 2025, directing the Department of Commerce to initiate a Section 232 investigation into copper imports and determine whether such dependency poses a threat to national security.
The order noted that a single foreign producer currently controls over 50% of the global copper smelting capacity and holds four of the five largest refining facilities worldwide.
The investigation covers copper in all its forms, including raw mined copper, concentrates, refined copper, alloys, scrap, and derivative products.
With the 50% tariff on copper imports scheduled to take effect in a few weeks, U.S. importers should start preparing now.
If you import copper or copper-derived products, the steps you can take include:
At Cole International, we constantly monitor changing trade regulations and offer customs and compliance consulting services to help businesses navigate these changes.
Additionally, we provide timely and efficient customs brokerage services to help U.S. importers streamline their customs clearance and other import processes.
Please reach out to one of our trade professionals to discuss the impact of this new tariff on your business and how we can help simplify the importation of your copper products while ensuring compliance.