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OPINION:
Beneath our oceans lies a wealth of untapped potential: minerals essential for national security, technology and energy independence.
China knows this. Its response? A relentless push to dominate critical mineral resources. That’s why the U.S. must assert its leadership in seabed mining or acquiesce to China’s dangerous chokehold on global supply chains.
The stakes couldn’t be higher.
Roughly 90% of the world’s rare earth minerals are processed in China, giving the Chinese Communist Party enormous leverage over industries vital to America’s future, including semiconductors and defense systems. As demand skyrockets for data centers, advanced computing capabilities and the next generation of warfighting machinery, the CCP’s dominance over these minerals becomes an increasingly potent geopolitical weapon.
Seabed mining presents a unique opportunity for the U.S. to get back into this fight. The ocean floor is rich in nodules packed with cobalt, nickel, manganese and rare earth elements, critical to technology such as missile guidance systems and smartphones. As a recent National Interest report warns, China treats seabed mining as its next “Sputnik moment,” racing ahead with deep-sea mineral extraction while the U.S. lags. America risks losing a generational opportunity to strengthen its industrial base, safeguard national security, create thousands of high-paying jobs and reduce reliance on hostile foreign powers.
The Trump-Vance administration has taken steps to rebuild American manufacturing and resource independence. Tariffs on Chinese imports, paired with strong incentives for domestic mineral processing, are revitalizing the U.S. mining sector.
To solidify our wins, we must go further.
First, the U.S. must invest in cutting-edge technology for deep-sea exploration. American innovators are developing remotely operated vehicles and autonomous underwater drones capable of safely harvesting seabed minerals without devastating marine ecosystems. We can accelerate these breakthroughs and build the world’s most advanced oceanic mining fleet.
Second, we must establish strategic alliances to counter China’s influence in international waters. Beijing is aggressively securing seabed mining contracts through the International Seabed Authority, gaining access to vast swaths of mineral-rich territory. The U.S. should lead a coalition of freedom-loving nations to negotiate fair, transparent rules for seabed exploration, ensuring that no single country unfairly monopolizes these critical resources.
Third, Congress must streamline permitting for offshore resource development. Excessive red tape has stifled American energy production for decades, handing strategic advantages to our adversaries. By fast-tracking permits for deep-sea mining operations, we can unleash the full potential of American enterprise and outpace China in the race for seabed dominance.
The American workforce stands to benefit immensely from this effort. Expanding the domestic supply of critical minerals will fuel a blue-collar boom, creating thousands of high-skilled, high-wage jobs in coastal and industrial regions. It’s a win for workers, a win for national security and a win for economic prosperity.
The America First Policy Institute has consistently championed policies that put American interests first. Seabed mining is a natural extension of that mission. We can’t allow the CCP to dictate the future of global industry while we sit on the sidelines.
It’s time to lead.
Catastrophic consequences await if America doesn’t seize this opportunity. China will tighten its stranglehold on global supply chains, using resource dependency as a bludgeon to weaken our alliances and bend nations to its will. However, if we act boldly and harness the full force of American grit and ingenuity, we can secure our rightful place as the leader of the free world’s resource future.
The ocean floor may be miles beneath the surface, but the battle for global dominance is right in front of us, and we must prevail.
• Jorge Martinez is the national director of Hispanic outreach and director of special projects for the America First Policy Institute. He previously served as press secretary for the Department of Justice.
