By Ana Isabel Martinez and Daina Beth SolomonMEXICO CITY/SANTIAGO (Reuters) -President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Wednesday Mexico could redirect the copper it typically sends to the U.S. to avoid tariffs from the Trump administration,

Prices of copper in the US have surged since January, when President Donald Trump threatened to impose a tariff on imports of the metal that’s a vital component in power networks, plumbing and industrial machinery.

President Trump said Tuesday that an ongoing investigation of tariffs on copper will end with 50% duties on the metal, and he threatened 200% tariffs on pharmaceuticals.

President Donald Trump told reporters during a cabinet meeting Tuesday that more trade deals are on the way, especially in the form of letters setting rates unilaterally by the U.S. “The deals are mostly my deal to them,

Trump and his aides have repeatedly shifted their stance on tariffs in the weeks since the president’s “Liberation Day” announcement.

Donald Trump has revived his threat to hit major trading partners with steep “reciprocal” tariffs even as he granted a three-week reprieve for countries to negotiate trade deals with the US.

The White House concluded that non-tariff methods for punishing Brazil would take too long, two people familiar with the situation said.

US President Donald Trump ramped back up his tariff plans with an eye on copper and Canada, deflating hopes that the administration was dialing back its initial Liberation Day levies first announced in April.