US President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping Executive Order aimed at fast-tracking the exploration and development of deep seabed minerals, marking a pivotal shift in US resource policy and global mineral supply chain strategy.
The directive, signed on April 24, mandates the rapid development of US capabilities in the exploration, characterisation, collection, and processing of critical deep seabed minerals.
The move is designed to bolster domestic supply chains, reduce dependency on foreign resources, and establish the United States as a global leader in seabed mineral exploration and development, both within its own jurisdiction and in international waters.
Announcing the order, President Trump emphasised the stakes for US economic and national security.
The order states: “The US faces unprecedented economic and national security challenges in securing reliable supplies of critical minerals independent of foreign adversary control.
“Vast offshore seabed areas hold critical minerals and energy resources.
“These resources are key to strengthening our economy, securing our energy future and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers for critical minerals.”
The order instructs the Secretary of Commerce to expedite the review and issuance of exploration and commercial recovery permits under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act within 60 days.
It also directs the Secretaries of Commerce, Interior, and Energy to deliver a report identifying private sector interest and opportunities for seabed mineral exploration, mining, and monitoring on the US Outer Continental Shelf.
In addition, a plan to map priority seabed areas will be developed to accelerate data collection.
The administration’s strategy explicitly aims to counter China’s dominance in the seabed mineral resource sector.
The order states that the United States seeks to strengthen partnerships with allies and industry to counter China’s influence in the seabed mineral resource space.
Trump underscored the national interest, stating: “The United States has a core national security and economic interest in maintaining leadership in deep sea science and technology and seabed mineral resources.”
The directive also tasks the Secretaries of Commerce, State, Interior, and Energy with engaging international partners on seabed mineral exploration and assessing the feasibility of an international seabed benefit-sharing mechanism.
Meanwhile, the Secretaries of Defense and Energy are to report on the feasibility of using the National Defense Stockpile for minerals derived from seabed nodules.
Financial agencies, including the US International Development Finance Corporation, Export-Import Bank, and US Trade and Development Agency, are instructed to identify support tools for domestic and international seabed mineral resource exploration and environmental monitoring.
Reuters reported that proponents of deep-sea mining argue that the initiative could reduce the need for extensive land-based mining, which often faces strong opposition from local communities.
However, environmental organisations are urging a complete ban, warning that industrial activity on the ocean floor could result in irreversible loss of biodiversity.
The Executive Order follows a series of recent moves by the Trump administration to expand US resource extraction, including new orders to increase coal production, defying international efforts to curb carbon emissions.
As the global race for critical minerals intensifies, the US is now poised to play a more assertive role in the exploration and development of deep-sea resources, setting the stage for both new economic opportunities and heightened debate over environmental stewardship and international governance.
