President Donald Trump has made it clear that he is concerned about the United States’ dependence on foreign countries for much of its copper and is looking to boost domestic mining of the metal, but his efforts are likely to feed inflation and take years to reap rewards.

President Trump ordered Commerce to study whether tariffs are needed to reduce the U.S. reliance upon imported copper, needed for military equipment, data centers and electric vehicles.

President Donald Trump has initiated a probe into potential new tariffs on copper imports to bolster U.S. production of the metal, crucial for electric vehicles and military hardware. This action is seen as a counter to China's dominance in copper production.