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Trump order targets China-linked military mineral supply chains

US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order aimed at reducing dependence on China for defence-related critical minerals, directing military contractors to shift…

By Samantha Johnson / July 20, 2026

US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order aimed at reducing dependence on China for defence-related critical minerals, directing military contractors to shift away from Beijing-linked supply chains beginning in January 2027.

Without naming China, Trump’s executive order stresses the need to maintain US military dominance “in an era of renewed great power competition”.

“The United States must secure its supply chains against physical, cyber, and economic subversion,” it said.

The US Department of Defence relies heavily on critical minerals, including rare earths, for components used in its weapon systems.

China accounts for roughly two-thirds of global rare earth mining and about 90 per cent of refining, giving Beijing significant leverage over the supply chain.

The executive order, called “Securing America’s Defence Supply Chains and Ensuring Domestic Acquisition of Critical Minerals”, directs military contractors to submit “formal mitigation” plans to identify non-compliant sources, document exhaustive efforts to find compliant material or prove none was available, and lay out steps to remove non-compliant sources from their supply chains.

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