Trump signs export restrictions on recoverable critical minerals and materials

US President Donald Trump signed an order on July 31, giving the Commerce Secretary authority to limit exports of critical minerals and materials, citing national security risks from America's reliance on foreign suppliers, the White House said in a statement.

The presidential determination under the Defense Production Act finds that recoverable critical minerals are essential to military production and that the US is too dependent on imports. The move targets materials found in products, including permanent magnets and lithium-ion batteries.

"CMMs are pervasive in defense supply chains and are key inputs in advanced defense systems that support technological superiority, operational readiness, and an array of high-performance military equipment," the White House said in the statement.

The action is the latest in a series of Trump administration orders aimed at securing domestic mineral supplies, including multiple invocations of the Defense Production Act and efforts to support critical minerals production in friendly nations.

The administration cast the measure as part of Trump's pledge to rebuild American industry and restore military readiness. The determination doesn't specify which minerals will be subject to restrictions or identify the foreign sources of concern.