Overview

• President Donald Trump has authorized deep-sea mining in U.S. and international waters, bypassing the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
• The executive order directs the Commerce and Interior Departments to fast-track permits for exploration and extraction.
• The administration projects the initiative could yield 100,000 jobs and $300 billion in GDP growth over the next decade.
• Environmental groups warn of irreversible damage to marine ecosystems, while over 30 countries support a moratorium on deep-sea mining.
• China has condemned the U.S. plan as a violation of international law, escalating geopolitical tensions over resource control.