In January 2025 Donald Trump returned to the position of president of the United States, and already in the first weeks of his word introduced fresh duties on imported metals and industrial products. As the article published on the CleanTechnica portal on March 10, 2025 shows, these decisions have serious consequences for the American supply chain of key minerals specified as lithium, cobalt and uncommon earth elements. These natural materials are essential for the production of batteries for electrical vehicles, solar panels and wind turbines, and their absence may jeopardise the accomplishment of the U.S. climate and energy safety objectives.
New duties and their immediate effects
According to CleanTechnica, the fresh tariffs imposed by the Trump administration cover 25% of the work on imports of metals, including aluminium, steel and key minerals. Although the aim is to defend American industry, the effects are already felt. Battery and renewable technology companies study a sharp increase in costs.
"These duties are like a blow to the back for the clean energy sector," says John Carter, CEO of GreenTech Solutions, quoted in the article. "Lithium import costs have increased by 30% in just 2 months, and this translates straight into final product prices specified as electrical cars."
Import dependency and national security
The United States is mostly dependent on imports of key minerals. According to U.S. Geological survey data from 2024, the US imports over 80% of its request for uncommon earth elements, mainly from China. fresh duties not only increase costs, but besides deepen this dependency, which poses a hazard to national security.
"If China decides to reduce exports of these natural materials, the United States will face a major crisis," warns Dr. Emily Zhang, a strategical natural materials expert at Stanford University. "Trump's duties do not solve the problem, but only make the situation worse."
Impact on energy transformation
The energy transformation, which is key to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, is being questioned. According to a study by the global Energy Agency (IEA) of February 2025, an increase in the cost of key minerals can slow the improvement of renewable technologies by up to 15% over the next 5 years.
"Each dollar added to battery production costs is simply a dollar little for investment in fresh technologies," emphasised Sarah Mitchell, an analyst from BloombergNEF. "This is not only a substance of economics but besides of achieving climate objectives."
Response of manufacture and administration
In consequence to increasing problems, companies in the clean energy sector began to put force on Trump administration. In February 2025, a group of companies, including Tesla, General electrical and First Solar, issued an open letter calling for the abolition of duties on key minerals.
"We are ready to invest in local sources of natural materials, but we request time and regulatory stability," the letter says. "These duties are destroying our competitiveness in the global market."
Future prospects
Although Trump's administration announced an increase in investment in home mineral mining and processing, experts are skeptical. According to Brookings Institution's analysis, it will take at least a decade to rebuild the local supply chain and in the meantime the US will stay dependent on imports.
"We request a long-term strategy, not short-term solutions that only make the situation worse," concludes Dr Zhang. "Without that, the United States risks losing its leading position in global energy transition."
The fresh duties imposed by the Trump administration in 2025 have far-reaching consequences for the American supply chain of key minerals. alternatively of protecting local industry, these decisions increase costs, deepen dependence on imports and endanger to accomplish climate objectives. Against these challenges, the United States must find a balance between protecting the economy and ensuring unchangeable access to the natural materials needed for the energy future.
Source:
- CleanTechnica, “Trump’s Tariffs Are Wrecking America’s Supply Chain for Critical Minerals” (10 March 2025)
- U.S. Geological Survey, “Mineral Commodity Summaries 2024”
- International Energy Agency (IEA), “Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Transitions” (February 2025)
- BloombergNEF, “Impact of Tariffs on Clean Energy Technologies” (March 2025)
- Brookings Institution, “The Future of U.S. Critical Mineral Supply Chains” (January 2025)
- Open letter to the Trump Administration (February 2025)
Leszek B. Glass
Email: [email protected]
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