Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing Peter Navarro appeared on Newsmax Tuesday to discuss what he said are the national security implications of copper dumping in U.S. markets.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a national security probe into potential new tariffs on copper imports to boost U.S. production of the critical metal, aiming to counter China’s dominance in the global market. In an appearance on “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” Navarro said the copper ranks as the second most vital resource for the Department of Defense as it’s integral to its sophisticated weapons systems. The current global market scenario, however, shows a trend of excessive dumping of copper into U.S. markets, undercutting domestic production capacities.

“Copper is like the second most important thing the Defense Department uses in order to make its weapons systems. And we’re in a situation now where worldwide there’s a glut of copper,” Navarro told Schmitt. “There’s a dumping of copper into our markets. And we’ve lost our ability to both smelt copper, which is taking the ore and getting the raw copper and refine it into the products we need. And it’s a serious thing.”

Navarro said Trump’s directive aligns with previous investigations under Section 232, similar to those conducted for aluminum and steel. These investigations have historically paved the way for protective tariffs designed to revive U.S. industries as Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick is expected to rapidly produce recommendations on whether to impose tariffs on imported copper.

“Today was one of a piece of 232 investigations like aluminum and steel, which we’ve already done. And Secretary Lutnick will in Trump time, which is to say quickly, come up with recommendations as to whether we should tariff copper so that we can regain our ability,” Navarro said. “And Rob, it’s like we’ve got supply and demand going like this towards a crisis, because with this whole electrification of our economy, we’re doubling copper demand in just 10 years. And we simply don’t have the capabilities to produce that.”

As global tensions, particularly with nations like China, threaten to impact the U.S. supply chains, these measures, Navarro said, are seen as vital to maintaining national security.

“If we have a geopolitical problem out there, with China or somewhere else, we can be squeezed. So the boss, he’s on top of this, and Secretary Lutnik’s going to be the tip of his spear. And that was a good day, executive order day at the Oval,” Navarro said. (RELATED: Trump Says Trade Deal With China Is ‘Possible’)

An anonymous White House official told Reuters that the tariff rate would be decided by the ongoing investigation and said President Trump prefers tariffs rather than quotas. The Trump administration implemented 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, as well as on goods from China, aiming to curb illegal immigration and the influx of illicit drugs into the U.S. from these nations.

Following commitments from Mexico to deploy thousands of troops to the U.S.-Mexico border and a promise from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to strengthen the northern border, Trump agreed to suspend the tariffs on Mexico and Canada for 30 days. After Trump threatened tariffs, Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te announced on Feb. 14 that his country would increase investments in the U.S.

Beijing reportedly began preparations to initiate trade discussions with the U.S. shortly after the Trump administration imposed 10% tariffs on Chinese imports.

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