Jul 9, 2025 - Economy

Trump announces 50% tariff on copper from Aug. 1

Rebecca Falconer

The smelting area at the Codelco El Teniente processing facility in Machali, Chile, on Wednesday, April 2, 2025. — The smelting area at the Codelco El Teniente processing facility in Machalí, Chile. Photo: Cristobal Olivares/Bloomberg via Getty Images

President Trump announced Wednesday he'll impose a 50% tariff on copper imports from Aug. 1 "after receiving a robust" national security assessment.

The big picture: Copper is the third most widely used metal globally and the U.S. imports almost half of the commodity that it uses — mostly from Chile, per U.S. Geological Survey data.

Copper prices reached record highs on Tuesday when Trump signaled plans to impose the tariff on the commodity that's used in building construction, electronics, transportation equipment and industrial machinery, among other goods.

What he's saying: "Copper is necessary for Semiconductors, Aircraft, Ships, Ammunition, Data Centers, Lithium-ion Batteries, Radar Systems, Missile Defense Systems, and even, Hypersonic Weapons, of which we are building many," Trump said in announcing the tariff plan on Truth Social.

"Copper is the second most used material by the Department of Defense!"
Trump vowed that the U.S. "will, once again, build a DOMINANT Copper Industry. THIS IS, AFTER ALL, OUR GOLDEN AGE!"

Go deeper: Trump goes after Brazil with sweeping tariff threats over Bolsonaro, tech

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Trump announces 50% tariff on copper from Aug. 1

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