Trump Signs Proclamation for Critical Minerals Deals

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Wednesday directing U.S. trade officials to negotiate agreements with international partners to secure reliable supplies of critical minerals, deferring potential tariffs following a government review that identified national security risks from foreign dependence. The move aims to address vulnerabilities in supply chains for materials essential to defense, energy, and technology sectors, amid ongoing tensions with China, the world's dominant producer and processor of these resources.

The decision stems from a months-long investigation under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, launched last April by the Commerce Department. The review concluded that U.S. reliance on imported processed critical minerals and their derivatives threatens national security, particularly given the concentration of processing capacity abroad. As of 2024, the United States is 100 percent net import-reliant for 12 such minerals and 50 percent or more reliant for another 29, according to government data. These materials, including rare earth elements, lithium, cobalt, antimony, gallium, and uranium, underpin fighter aircraft, munitions, surveillance...