Trump says 50% tariff on copper will begin Aug. 1

U.S. President Donald Trump said that the 50% tariff connected copper imports, which helium announced earlier connected Tuesday, volition statesman connected Aug. 1.

The determination was made aft helium received a nationalist information assessment, Trump said successful a station connected Truth Social.

"I americium announcing a 50% TARIFF connected Copper, effectual August 1, 2025, aft receiving a robust NATIONAL SECURITY ASSESSMENT," Trump wrote.

"Copper is indispensable for Semiconductors, Aircraft, Ships, Ammunition, Data Centers, Lithium-ion Batteries, Radar Systems, Missile Defense Systems, and even, Hypersonic Weapons, of which we are gathering many. Copper is the 2nd astir utilized worldly by the Department of Defense."

Adam Whiteley of BNY Investments said connected CNBC's "Squawk Box" that Trump's latest announcement is indicative of the commercialized argumentation that helium wants to protect.

"Copper is astir apt successful a 3rd class of tariffs, which is nationalist security. So we've got negotiating tactics, we've got addressing commercialized imbalances, and past the copper, oregon indeed, immoderate of the minerals, possibly semiconductors, possibly pharmaceuticals," Whiteley said.

Copper is the third-most-consumed metal, down robust and aluminum. The U.S. imports astir fractional of the copper it uses, astir of which comes from Chile, according to information from the U.S. Geological Survey.Trump successful precocious February ordered a probe into imaginable caller tariffs connected copper imports connected nationalist information grounds.

— CNBC's Kevin Breuninger contributed to this report.

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