The Trump administration has taken the first step toward opening waters near American Samoa to deep-sea mining. According to The Hill, the Interior Department announced Tuesday it will solicit public and industry input on potential seabed mineral extraction in the U.S. territory. The move follows an executive order from Trump to accelerate access to critical seabed resources, citing national security and economic growth. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the initiative could strengthen domestic supply chains. Environmental groups caution that deep-sea mining could irreversibly damage marine ecosystems. Only a fraction of the scientific data needed to assess the impact is currently available.
