Trump order targets China-linked military mineral supply chains

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday requiring U.S. defense contractors to reduce dependence on China-linked critical mineral supply chains, effective January 2027. China controls roughly two-thirds of global rare earth mining and 90 percent of refining, creating strategic vulnerability for U.S. military systems. Contractors must submit plans identifying non-compliant sources and demonstrating efforts to shift toward alternative suppliers or domestic production.