US President Donald Trump ordered a probe Tuesday that may result in tariffs on critical minerals, rare-earth metals and associated products such as smartphones, in an escalation of his dispute with global trade partners.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday ordered a probe into potential new tariffs on all U.S. critical minerals imports, a major escalation in his dispute with global trade partners and an attempt to directly rebuke industry leader China.

President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order directing the Commerce Department to open a national security investigation that would lay the groundwork for the administration to impose tariffs on critical minerals,