U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Saturday directing a new national security investigation into imported lumber under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.
The probe, aimed at potentially imposing additional tariffs on imported lumber and its derivative products, comes as part of broader efforts to rebuild U.S. production of the critical commodity.
The order mandates that Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick complete the investigation within 270 days. It covers not only raw lumber but also derivative products—such as kitchen cabinets—where U.S.-harvested lumber may be exported and then re-imported. In a related measure, Trump’s order calls for agency heads to implement new steps within 90 days to streamline the permitting process for harvesting timber from public lands and to enhance the salvage of fallen trees, aiming to increase the domestic supply of lumber.
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro emphasized that the probe is intended to counteract actions by major lumber exporters, including Canada, Germany, and Brazil, which he accused of “dumping lumber into our markets at the expense of both our economic prosperity and national security.” Any tariffs imposed as a result of the investigation would be added to existing duties, including a combined 14.5% anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariff on Canadian softwood lumber. These tariffs stem from a longstanding U.S.-Canada dispute over Canada’s low stumpage fees on public lands—a practice Washington argues amounts to an unfair subsidy.
The new probe is the third tariff-related investigation ordered by Trump in the past week. It follows his directive earlier this month to launch a Section 232 investigation into copper imports and a separate order reviving investigations into tariffs on goods from countries imposing digital services taxes on U.S. technology companies. Trump has also threatened a 25% general tariff on all Canadian and Mexican goods unless those countries address border security and curb fentanyl trafficking.
A White House official underscored the national security risks posed by an increasing reliance on imported lumber, noting that the U.S. military consumes significant quantities of the commodity for construction projects, even though domestic supplies are ample. Home builders, however, have long criticized existing tariffs for raising lumber prices and contributing to home price inflation.
As the Commerce Department gears up to complete its investigation, industry watchers and policymakers alike will be closely monitoring the potential impact on domestic lumber production and U.S. trade relations with key partners.
The Kremlin said on Monday that someone would have to force Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make peace and that the Ukrainian leader's public clash with U.S. President Donald Trump had shown just how hard it would be to find a way to end the war.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media that five digital assets will be included in a new U.S. strategic reserve of cryptocurrencies, a move that spurred a significant surge in market values.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced on Sunday that tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada are scheduled to go into effect on Tuesday. However, he indicated that the final tariff rates, which could reach a planned 25%, will be set by President Donald Trump and his team.
The global ocean shipping industry, which handles roughly 80% of world trade, is facing heightened uncertainty amid a series of trade and geopolitical threats from the U.S. administration.
Egypt has finalized a Gaza reconstruction plan aimed at keeping Palestinians in their land and will present it at the emergency Arab summit on March 4. The announcement comes as Arab nations work to counter a controversial U.S. proposal by President Donald Trump, which seeks to take control of Gaza
Military financing has been stopped, and officials are meeting to consider suspending another type of assistance
Markets tumbled Monday, with losses accelerating in the afternoon after President Donald Trump confirmed that 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico will take effect. Earlier in the session, stocks were already under pressure following a weaker-than-expected February report on a key manufact
Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen pledges to strive for 'constructive, creative and consistent' presidency
James Harrison's rare blood, which he donated over a thousand times, is estimated to have saved the lives of over 2 million children in Australia.
A centuries old tradition of cheese-throwing has brought excitement to the town of Novara di Sicilia as its residents both young and old trooped out en masse to participate in the game.
Norway’s government has affirmed that it will continue to supply fuel for U.S. Navy vessels, dismissing recent calls from a private marine fuel supplier to halt deliveries amid tensions linked to U.S.-Ukrainian relations.
Mountain View, CA, February 24, 2025 – In a move to bolster account security and curb global SMS abuse, Google is set to phase out its SMS-based two-factor authentication (2FA) option for Gmail users, according to a report by Forbes.
Watch AnewZ Live Coverage of the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting at the Oval Office at https://anewz.tv/tv-live
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reaffirmed his respect for the United States and its people in an interview with Fox News, following a tense meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
Markets tumbled Monday, with losses accelerating in the afternoon after President Donald Trump confirmed that 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico will take effect. Earlier in the session, stocks were already under pressure following a weaker-than-expected February report on a key manufact
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media that five digital assets will be included in a new U.S. strategic reserve of cryptocurrencies, a move that spurred a significant surge in market values.
The global ocean shipping industry, which handles roughly 80% of world trade, is facing heightened uncertainty amid a series of trade and geopolitical threats from the U.S. administration.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced on Sunday that tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico will go into effect on Tuesday, though the exact rates remain uncertain.
The Vietnamese government has approved funding of 12.8 trillion VND ($500 million) to build a small-scale semiconductor chip manufacturing plant, with the goal of developing a domestic chip industry and ensuring supply chain resilience.
Military financing has been stopped, and officials are meeting to consider suspending another type of assistance
Markets tumbled Monday, with losses accelerating in the afternoon after President Donald Trump confirmed that 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico will take effect. Earlier in the session, stocks were already under pressure following a weaker-than-expected February report on a key manufact
Ambassador Christina Markus Lassen pledges to strive for 'constructive, creative and consistent' presidency
James Harrison's rare blood, which he donated over a thousand times, is estimated to have saved the lives of over 2 million children in Australia.
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