<a href="https://reason.com/2025/07/10/trumps-50-percent-copper-tariff-will-drive-up-prices-for-tech-homes-military-equipment-and-more/" target="_blank">View original image source</a>.
You might want to sit down for this one: the Trump administration has slapped a whopping 50 percent tariff on imported copper. Yes, you heard that right! Starting August 1, it’s not just copper prices that will skyrocket; industries that rely on this essential metal—think tech, military, and homebuilding—are set for some serious financial turbulence. At $15,000 per metric ton, let’s just say our wallets are going to feel a whole lot lighter.
Experts are raising eyebrows over this tariff, pointing out that it might be a terrible strategy for promoting domestic manufacturing. If the goal is to boost American mining, why jack up the prices right now? Matt Mittelsteadt from the Cato Institute warns that this could massively stress tech infrastructure, possibly leaving consumers caught in the middle of a supply chain squeeze. It’s a classic case of wanting to build a better America but missing the mark miserably.
And while the Trump administration hopes that higher tariffs will lead to more domestic mining, let’s get real: building new mines takes decades. With America already importing about half of its copper, this is shaping up to be a ‘get ready for inflation’ moment for all of us. Can you picture it? You walk into a store, and the price tag on a fancy new gadget feels more like a mortgage payment!
What do you think? Are tariffs like this helping or hurting American industries? Chime in below; let’s talk copper and those rising prices!
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