Lumber Under Siege: Trump Orders Investigation Into National Security Harm
US President Donald Trump is ordering the Commerce Department to launch an investigation into the national security harm posed by lumber imports, laying the legal groundwork for new tariffs he’s pledged. The investigation will examine whether exporters like Canada, Germany, and Brazil are dumping lumber into US markets at the expense of American economic prosperity and national security. Officials will also investigate foreign government subsidies, predatory trade practices, and derivative products that may be artificially depressing the price of goods like kitchen cabinetry.
- This move by Trump could have significant implications for the North American lumber market, particularly if Canada is found to be dumping wood at an unfairly low price, potentially leading to retaliatory measures from Canadian producers.
- What role will climate change mitigation efforts play in shaping US trade policy, and how might this investigation impact efforts to address the root causes of wildfires like those that ravaged California last year?