This executive order was issued out of concern that timber, lumber and the derivative products are vital to the national security and economic strength of the United States which has the production capacity to supply 95% of the country’s 2024 softwood consumption. However, subsidies and foreign government support for foreign timber and lumber have created a reliance on foreign timber and its derivative products which could constitute a threat to national security and the economy since the U.S. military is a large consumer of wood products. The order directs the secretary of commerce to investigate and report to the president on whether such reliance on foreign timber creates a threat to national security and the economy and, if so, the steps that can be taken to mitigate the threat.
News | March 1, 2025