Trump Plans Executive Order to Secure Seabed Minerals

President Donald Trump is preparing an executive order that would allow the United States to build strategic reserves of critical minerals located on the Pacific Ocean seabed. This initiative seeks to reduce reliance on China, which currently dominates both the production and processing of rare earth elements and battery metals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese.

According to the Financial Times, these minerals, essential for high-tech and energy applications, are found in abundance in polymetallic nodules on the ocean floor. China currently produces nearly 70% of the world’s rare earths and controls about 90% of their processing, according to the US Geological Survey.

The planned executive order would enable the US government to stockpile these resources, similar to past reserves of gold and oil, as a precaution against potential supply disruptions in future geopolitical conflicts.

This move forms part of a broader strategy to streamline deep-sea mining approvals under US jurisdiction and expand domestic processing capacity. As reported by Reuters, the administration is also considering bypassing UN-backed authorities to fast-track permits through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

China is also advancing its own seabed mining efforts and is expected to play a leading role in the global competition for underwater resources. Last month, Trump also invoked the Defense Production Act to promote onshore mining and processing of critical minerals, further aiming to reduce US dependence on Chinese supply chains.