U.S. President Donald Trump waves as he arrives aboard Air Force One at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, U.S., May 23, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is considering launching a trade investigation of auto imports on national security grounds, a senior Trump administration official said on Wednesday.

The Wall Street Journal first reported Trump was mulling a so-called Section 232 investigation, citing industry officials briefed on the plan. The Journal said the administration was considering tariffs of up to 25 percent.