Powering the Future: Striking Deals to Secure Critical Mineral Supply Chains

Jun 19, 2025 | Joseph Boudreau
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Despite an administration change at the beginning of the year, key US defense priorities have remained the same. Among these priorities is the revitalization of the US defense industrial base and the consolidation of supply chains for critical minerals feeding the defense industry.  However, what has changed under the Trump administration is how these goals are pursued. The White House now uses tariffs as leverage to renegotiate the terms of trade deals with allies and adversaries alike. As the threat of a protracted trade war looms, the United States finds itself in a precarious situation: how can the Trump administration enforce its desired protectionary measures in order to rebuild a domestic industrial base while still efficiently sourcing critical minerals abroad, which are needed to build defense weaponry?