U.S. reliance on aluminum from the Middle East, Russia and China leaves the country vulnerable to supply disruptions and foreign leverage, retired Gen. David Petraeus, the former CIA director, said Friday.
Speaking at a fireside chat hosted by the American Primary Aluminum Association at the National Press Club in Washington, Gen. Petraeus said the U.S. must rebuild its aluminum production so it is not exposed to supply shocks or manipulation by foreign powers.
“We can’t be held hostage to others having the sole capability to provide critical minerals, strategics including aluminum,” he said.
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Canada has historically supplied most U.S. aluminum imports. About 1 million metric tons of the roughly 1.5 million metric tons of unwrought aluminum the U.S. imported in 2025 came from Canada, according to International Trade Administration data reported by S&P Global.
President Trump doubled the Section 232 tariff on aluminum imports from 25% to 50% in June 2025.
American Primary Aluminum Association, which represents producers such as Century Aluminum and Magnitude 7 Metals, has praised the tariff policy as having revitalized American aluminum manufacturing.
Still, Mr. Trump’s tariff policy has faced significant criticism from allies and experts who cite potential job losses, higher expenses and its potential impact on inflation.
Gen. Petraeus said he generally opposes tariffs and supports free trade, but he made an exception “when your national security demands that you have tariffs to protect or to bring back industries that are absolutely vital to our national security.”
He added that tariffs should not be driven by political pressure but by a “cold, hard, objective national security analysis.”
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