President Trump on Saturday initiated an investigation into whether or not imports of lumber threaten America’s nationwide safety, a step that’s more likely to additional inflame relations with Canada, the most important exporter of wooden to america.

The president directed his commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, to hold out the investigation. The outcomes of the inquiry may permit the president to use tariffs to lumber imports. A White Home official declined to say how lengthy the inquiry would take.

An govt memorandum signed by Mr. Trump ordered the investigation and was accompanied by one other doc that White Home officers stated would broaden the quantity of lumber supplied on the market every year, growing provide and serving to to make sure that timber costs don’t rise.

The commerce inquiry is more likely to additional anger Canada. A few of its residents have referred to as for boycotts of American merchandise over Mr. Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on all Canadian imports starting on Tuesday. The president, who additionally plans to hit Mexico with comparable tariffs, says the levies are punishment for failure to stem the circulate of medicine and migrants into america.

Many Canadians have contested Mr. Trump’s assertion that fentanyl is flowing from its nation into america.

Canada and america have sparred over protections within the lumber business for many years. The international locations have protected their very own industries with tariffs and different commerce measures, and argued in regards to the legitimacy of these measures in disputes each below the North American Free Commerce Settlement and on the World Commerce Group.

Canada offered $28 billion of lumber to america in 2021 — the newest 12 months statistics have been accessible from the U.S. Worldwide Commerce Fee — or practically half of all U.S. lumber imports. Canada is distantly adopted by China, Brazil and Mexico as import sources.

The US additionally exported practically $10 billion of lumber to Canada in 2021, in addition to $6.5 billion to Mexico.

White Home officers stated that lumber was an business during which america ought to be nearly completely self-sufficient primarily based on its assets, however that American lumber mills had been undermined by low cost imports from dangerous actors, a few of whom have been putative allies.

Peter Navarro, the senior counselor for commerce and manufacturing, stated in a name with reporters Friday that “disastrous” timber and lumber insurance policies “drive up development and housing prices and impoverish America by giant commerce deficits that outcomes from exporters like Canada, Germany and Brazil dumping lumber” into the U.S. market.

“That stops immediately with a pair of Trumpian actions designed to each bolster provide of and demand for American timber and lumber,” he stated.

If they aren’t offset by matching will increase in provide, lumber tariffs would possible push up the value of imported wooden and lift costs for numerous industries, significantly development. The U.S. investigation will embody spinoff lumber merchandise, like kitchen cupboards.

The investigation can also be more likely to elevate questions and pushback about whether or not lumber imports actually represent a menace to nationwide safety.

The president has additionally initiated nationwide safety investigations into metal, aluminum and copper, however these metals are instantly utilized by the army to make planes, ships and weaponry. Requested in regards to the nationwide safety justification, the White Home official stated that the army was a serious shopper of lumber.

Alan Rappeport contributed reporting.