In a sweeping move aimed at reshaping global mineral supply chains, President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to accelerate the practice of deep-sea mining in both U.S. and international waters. The order targets the extraction of strategically important minerals such as nickel, copper, and rare earth elements—materials essential for high-tech industries and clean energy solutions. Trump’s executive order is explicitly aimed at pushing back against China’s dominance in the seabed mineral sector. The order is designed “to counter China’s growing influence over seabed mineral resources,” according to the order. “The United States has a core national security and economic interest in maintaining leadership in deep-sea science and technology and seabed mineral resources,” Trump stated in the executive order issued Thursday. The initiative marks a unilateral approach that seeks to expedite mining permits under the Deep Seabed Hard Minerals Act of 1980 and establishes a framework for issuing permits along the U.S. outer continental shelf. It also includes a directive to fast-track the review of permits for mining operations “in areas beyond national jurisdiction.” The practice of deep-sea mining involves deploying heavy machinery to extract minerals and metals that accumulate into potato-sized nodules on the ocean floor. These nodules contain valuable elements used in products ranging from electric vehicle batteries to wind turbines and solar panels. Proponents of deep-sea mining argue the industry could offer a highly profitable alternative to traditional land-based mining, reducing ecological and geopolitical pressures on terrestrial mineral extraction. Advocates also suggest it could play a vital role in securing critical materials for renewable energy technologies. However, environmental groups and scientists who warn of significant and poorly understood risks to fragile deep-sea ecosystems  say the executive order undermines ongoing international efforts to regulate the emerging industry. Environmental organizations argue that deep-sea mining cannot be carried out sustainably, warning it will result in irreversible ecosystem destruction and potentially lead to species extinction. As the debate intensifies, the United States now joins a handful of countries taking aggressive steps toward harnessing seabed resources—an area increasingly viewed as the next frontier in mineral exploration, despite mounting environmental concerns.