US President Donald Trump has ordered a study of the national security impact of imports of critical minerals and derived products such as smartphones and electric vehicles, Reuters and Agence France-Presse reported, quoted by BTA, citing a White House statement.
The study is a necessary first step that could allow the US president to issue an order to impose tariffs on these products if it is proven that the volume of imports poses a risk to national security.
The imports targeted by this study include the so-called “critical” minerals such as cobalt, lithium and nickel, rare earth elements and products that require these resources for part of their production, such as smartphones, electric vehicles, batteries and wind turbines.
According to Trump's order, American industry is “dependent on foreign sources“ that are “exposed to serious, long-term disruptions“ in mineral supplies.
“If the United States loses access to critically important processed minerals from foreign sources, the country's commercial and defense industrial base could be marked by significant shortages”, says the order signed by Trump.
The Commerce Department has up to 180 days to submit its analysis to the president.