U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the Secretary of Commerce to launch an investigation into the country’s heavy reliance on imported critical minerals.
The order, issued on Tuesday, highlights concerns over the vulnerability of U.S. supply chains and their potential risks to national security, defense readiness, and economic stability.
The executive order stresses that the dependence on imports for essential minerals, particularly rare earth elements (REEs), has raised significant security and economic concerns. “The dependence of the United States on imports and the vulnerability of our supply chains raises the potential for risks to national security, defense readiness, price stability, and economic prosperity and resilience,” the order states.
This move is seen as part of an effort to break China’s dominance in the critical minerals sector, which is vital for the production of advanced technologies, defense systems, and renewable energy products. China currently controls 69% of global rare earth production and holds 49% of the world’s estimated reserves, according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s 2024 data.
The executive order also follows Trump's March 20 decision to encourage both public and private investments aimed at boosting the U.S. production of critical minerals. The order outlines the establishment of financing and credit mechanisms to enhance the country’s energy and critical minerals sectors.
This new directive builds on previous actions, including the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration in 2018 on Chinese goods, which led to retaliatory measures from Beijing, including tighter controls over the export of rare earths. The latest restrictions were implemented by China on April 4, just days after new U.S. tariffs were announced.
As global demand for critical minerals continues to rise, the U.S. is focusing on reducing its dependency on China and securing a more resilient and self-sufficient supply chain. The investigation into mineral imports is part of broader efforts to strengthen U.S. economic and security positions in an increasingly competitive global market.
Russia’s defense ministry has accused Ukraine of carrying out four separate attacks on its energy facilities within a 24-hour period, alleging violations of a U.S.-brokered moratorium aimed at preventing strikes on each other’s critical energy infrastructure.
Sporting legends, rising stars, and international guests gathered in Madrid for the 24th Laureus World Sports Awards, where the global sporting community came together to celebrate a year of exceptional achievements, inspiring moments, and the unifying power of sport.
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A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
The Russian rouble surged past 81 to the U.S. dollar on Thursday, marking a 40% increase since the beginning of 2025.
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Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 16th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Severe rainfall on April 17 led to flooding and landslides in the Piedmont region, prompting a large-scale emergency response from over 400 firefighters.
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov extended Moscow’s support for the ongoing indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran, offering to mediate or assist in any way that would be beneficial to Tehran and acceptable to Washington.
Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato strongly denied accusations that Japan manipulates its currency to weaken the yen, ahead of a highly anticipated meeting with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent next week. Kato addressed the issue in the Japanese parliament on Friday, reaffirming that Jap
A Russian court has sentenced 19-year-old Darya Kozyreva to nearly three years in prison for protesting the war in Ukraine using poetry and graffiti.
The new U.S. ambassador to Japan has called for closer military coordination with Tokyo, framing the alliance as crucial amid rising regional tensions and ongoing trade disputes.
Students in Serbia have rallied outside a police station as Belgrade University’s rector is questioned over support for anti-government protests.
OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
The Russian rouble surged past 81 to the U.S. dollar on Thursday, marking a 40% increase since the beginning of 2025.
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