Critical Minerals Ministerial and “Action Plans” Raise Human Rights, Environmental Questions
WASHINGTON, D.C — Today, Vice President JD Vance addressed representatives from 50 countries gathered at the Trump administration’s “Critical Minerals Ministerial,” announcing that some had signed onto nonbinding arrangements with the United States creating a “preferential trade zone” and that more details about an “Agreement on Trade in Critical Minerals” from the U.S. Trade Representative would be forthcoming in a subsequent summit. Also today, the Trump administration announced a critical minerals “Action Plan” between the United States and Mexico and an intention to develop such “action plans” with the European Union and Japan.
Global Trade Watch director Melinda St. Louis issued the following statement:
“In the wake of Trump’s shocking Greenland gambit and his imperialist minerals deals with Ukraine and the Democratic Republic of Congo, other countries and the U.S. public should be very wary of any ‘arrangement,’ ‘deal,’ ‘agreement,’ or ‘action plan’ related to critical minerals – especially ones like these that emerge without any transparency or public consultation.
“Civil society organizations with strong ties to vulnerable communities in resource-rich regions have made clear recommendations for what should and should not be in any critical minerals-related deals in order to ensure accountability in the notoriously dangerous and dirty mining and processing minerals supply chain. Members of Congress have demanded transparency, but have been ignored.
“Like so many of Trump’s announcements of ‘deals,’ it’s unclear what, if any, real-world impact these deals will have. But Congress should exercise its constitutional authority over trade and demand a transparent and participatory process, meaningful labor, environmental and human rights standards, and a vote on any final deals.”
Background:
Public Citizen joined 35 civil society, environmental, faith, and human rights organizations in calling on the Trump administration to halt any ongoing negotiations on critical minerals agreements until the process is opened to public input and affected communities are meaningfully consulted.
In the letter, the groups warn that reports of new minerals-related deals being pursued with countries around the world — including last week’s “strategic partnership agreement” related to rare earth minerals between the United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo — raise serious concerns about transparency, human rights, worker and environmental exploitation, and sovereignty.
The groups urge the administration to commit to
- Strong, binding labor, environmental, human, and indigenous rights standards with swift and certain enforcement;
- Policies that advance sustainable development, job creation, and minerals circularity in both the U.S and partner countries; and
- A transparent process with full congressional review and approval, as required by law.
Together, the groups also reject “minerals-for-security” agreements or deals that prioritize military interests or investor profits over human rights and a just clean energy transition; and pledge to “vigorously oppose” any minerals deal that does not meet these standards.
Quotes from signatory organizations:
“It is vital that local and Indigenous communities be informed and afforded the opportunity to provide input and participate in any agreements that affect their land and the mineral resources beneath their feet.” — Maurice Carney, Co-founder and Executive Director, Friends of the Congo
“For any mineral deal, respect for human rights, Indigenous Peoples, environmental and labor standards must lead the way. Congress should advise and consent only to mineral agreements that uphold these values, promote mineral circularity, and reject colonizing another country’s resource.” — Aaron Mintzes, Deputy Policy Director and Counsel, Earthworks
“It is unacceptable for Trump to use tariff threats to bully countries into secretive deals to exploit their mineral resources with no regard for the communities who bear the burden of dangerous and dirty extraction.” — Melinda St. Louis, Global Trade Watch Director, Public Citizen
Additional resources:
- Trump’s U.S.-Malaysia Deal: Cementing Extractivist Colonialism
- Trade and Critical Minerals: The Deadly Cost of Cobalt Mining in the Congo
- Sánchez and 50+ Reps Call for Transparency in Congo Critical Minerals Agreement