Tariffs, if they are imposed, could boost U.S. production of a valuable resource but also raise costs for automakers, construction companies and others.

President Trump on Tuesday directed his Commerce secretary to investigate the need for possible tariffs on copper, the latest industry to potentially be targeted by Trump’s sweeping trade agenda.

The White House suggested Tuesday there is a strong case for copper import protections because the metal is an essential component of military hardware.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday directed the government to consider possible tariffs on copper, the latest move by the White House to tax a wide array of imports and reshape global trade.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Tuesday directing the Commerce Department to open an investigation into new potential tariffs for copper imports. The move came after the president placed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports earlier and announced plans for a new reciprocal tariff strategy.

President Donald Trump opened yet another front on Tuesday in his assault on global trade norms, ordering a probe into potential new tariffs on copper imports to rebuild U.S. production of a metal critical to electric vehicles,

An executive order mandates a review of the threats posed by over-reliance on foreign copper, and recommendations for increasing domestic supply.

The world’s top commodity traders are rushing to ship copper to the US from as far afield as Asia as Donald Trump’s threat of import tariffs on the metal creates a huge opportunity for profit.