Trump Orders Talks to Secure and Diversify U.S. Critical Minerals Supply

President Trump signed a proclamation directing the Commerce Department and the U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate with trading partners to address the national-security threat posed by imports of processed critical minerals and their derivatives, including pursuing price floors. If agreements aren’t entered into, aren’t carried out, or aren’t effective within 180 days, the President may take additional actions. The move aims to strengthen domestic mining and processing and build diverse, allied supply chains to reduce dependence on foreign sources for defense, energy infrastructure, and consumer goods, building on prior actions and partnerships with allies like Australia, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan.