President Donald Trump has announced that the U.S. will impose a 50% tariff on imported copper, marking a new escalation in his broader levy policy aimed at reshoring critical U.S. industries.
Trump made the announcement during a Cabinet meeting in front of the press on Tuesday where he linked the move to his America First policy of rebuilding industrial supply chains and forcing companies to source materials domestically.
“Today we’re doing copper,” Trump said while noting that imported steel and aluminum already face 50% tariffs, while cars and car parts have 25% tariffs.
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“We’re going to be announcing pharmaceuticals, chips and various couple of other things, you know, big ones,” he said prefacing the copper tariffs.
When asked to clarify the rate he said: “I believe the tariff on copper, we’re going to make it 50%.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik agreed that the 50% rate was accurate.
Trump did not say when the tariff would take effect and told reporters that he planned to make the copper tariff announcement later in the day.
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Trump also didn’t specify whether the tariff applies to all countries or selected ones. Chile is the largest copper exporter globally. The U.S. has a free trade agreement with Chile, but a blanket tariff could override it unless exceptions are carved out.
The steel and aluminum tariffs initially applied globally and were then modified by country, with exclusions for allies.
Copper is a critical material used in electrical wiring for homes, vehicles, buildings and power grids. It’s also used in renewable energy systems like solar panels and wind turbines as well as electric cars.
In February, Trump ordered a probe into potential new tariffs on copper imports in an effort to rebuild U.S. production, a move that appeared to prompt a rush for copper.
Futures contracts for the metal jumped by 13% after the announcement, the largest single-day price surge in records going back to 1968, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing Dow Jones Market Data. U.S. futures prices by nearly 42% this year, the outlet reported.
Trump announced the initial round of tariffs on April 2, 2025, during an event he dubbed “Liberation Day” at the Rose Garden at the White House. Copper was not included in the initial list of tariffed goods.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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