Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has commenced investigations into the imports of semiconductor material and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to assess their impact on national security, as indicated by Commerce Department notices made public on Monday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the department's Bureau of Industry and Security posted notices on the Federal Register regarding the investigations into polysilicon and UAS. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick initiated these probes on July 1 under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, potentially paving the way for imposing tariffs on these items.

Section 232 grants the president the authority to adjust imports into the U.S. if they are deemed a threat to national security. The notices outline the scope of the investigations, focusing on the effects of polysilicon, its derivatives, and UAS along with their parts and components. Polysilicon is an essential material in the semiconductor industry.

The department has announced plans to solicit public comments for a period of 21 days following the official posting of the notices. By law, the commerce secretary has a 270-day window to compile and present findings and recommendations to the president regarding the imported products.

Subsequently, the president has 90 days to review the report from the commerce secretary, decide whether to concur with the findings, and make a final decision on the matter.