Mining billionaire Robert Friedland has expressed strong support for the new 50% tariffs on copper imports imposed by US President Donald Trump, effective August 1. Friedland believes these tariffs will revitalize the US copper mining industry and enhance national security by securing domestic raw material access.

• Robert Friedland, founder of Ivanhoe Mines and Ivanhoe Electric, is opening America's first new copper mine in over a decade in Arizona, projected to start production in 2028.
• The US imported approximately 50% of its copper last year, with major sources including Mexico, Chile, and Canada.
• Critics, like commodities strategist Ewa Manthey of ING, warn that higher copper prices due to tariffs risk broader economic damage and increased inflation.