PRESS STATEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 2, 2026
CONTACT: Claire Hermann, chermann@earthworksaction.org
Background
Today, a bicameral coalition of Ranking Members from the House Oversight and Investigations, Natural Resources and Senate Budget and Energy and Natural Resources Committees sent separate letters to the Trump Administration and to seven mining and mineral processing companies demanding documents and answers to their questions about the Administration’s investments in domestic mining projects.
The Congressional oversight letters request responses by February 26, 2026 from Secretaries Hegseth, Lutnick, Wright, and Burgum related to the Federal Government’s purchase of shares in Trilogy Metals, Lithium Americas, MP Materials, Vulcan Elements, ReElements Technologies, Korea Zinc, and USA Rare Earth (USAR).
Statement from Aaron Mintzes, Earthworks Deputy Policy Director
By spending public money to take ownership stakes in mining companies, the Trump Administration is playing favorites behind closed doors. These actions smack of conflicts of interest and raise the risk that profits will take priority over the oversight and enforcement that keep communities safe.
Our tax dollars should go toward projects that benefit American families, not toward enriching a few chosen corporate executives.
The American people now own stakes in projects that threaten irreplaceable ecosystems, Tribal rights, and sacred sites. Mining causes permanent impacts to land and people. Congressional leaders are right to call for strong oversight.
###