Trump tightens foreign critical mineral rules for defense contractors

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday restricting waivers for banned foreign critical minerals and requiring defense contractors to map their critical supply chains for weapons systems, the White House said.

The order, "Securing America's Defense Supply Chains and Ensuring Domestic Acquisition of Critical Materials," states that the US must secure its supply chains "against physical, cyber, and economic subversion" to sustain military dominance amid "renewed great power competition."

Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, the Secretary of Defense will stop issuing routine waivers under 10 USC 4872 for the use of restricted foreign materials except where contractors submit an approved mitigation plan identifying the noncompliant source, documenting exhaustive efforts to find alternatives and setting a strict removal timeline, according to the order.

Contractors will also be required to submit a complete "Bill of Materials" tracing all components, software and materials to the origin of their raw materials.

"This is not paperwork. It is battlefield preparation," Peter Navarro, Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing in the White House, told reporters during a call.

"If a missile system depends on a foreign-controlled supplier, the Department of War needs to know before the shooting starts.

"Peace through strength requires strength through secure supply chains," Navarro said, adding that "American weapons (must be) built with domestic, allied, and trusted materials."

"Never put an American warfighter at risk because an adversary-linked supplier was buried five tiers down," he added.