Trump Orders Defense Dept to Stop Waivers for Critical Minerals from Non-Allied Nations by 2027

Published: Jul 23, 2026 09:35

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[SMM Rare Earth Express] US President Trump signed an executive order, requiring the Department of Defense to stop issuing most waivers by January 1, 2027, no longer allowing defense contractors to procure critical minerals and rare earth magnets such as samarium cobalt magnets, NdFeB magnets, tantalum, tungsten and molybdenum from "non-allied countries" including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. Under the new rules, after 2027, only contractors who have submitted supply chain rectification plans approved by the Department of Defense, documented material sources, and a clear timetable for phasing out non-compliant materials may apply for waivers. Additionally, Trump required the Department of Defense to formulate a supply chain traceability policy within 180 days, pushing contractors to establish a full-chain traceability system from raw materials to end-use products, and to strengthen the certification of domestic critical minerals and materials, so as to enhance the security of the national defense supply chain.

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