Trump Signs Order to Launch Investigation of Copper Imports

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on Feb. 25 signed an executive order to launch an investigation into whether imports of copper and its derivatives pose a threat to U.S. national security. “Like our steel and aluminum industries, our great American copper industry has been decimated by global actors attacking our domestic production,” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a statement. Lutnick noted that to restore the U.S. copper industry, he would look into the possibility of imposing tariffs. The tariff rates, however, remain uncertain and will depend on the results of the investigation. The executive order will launch the Section 232 investigation that will then put options on the president’s desk, according to the White House....