President Donald Trump just bulldozed a major obstacle to America’s resource independence with a bold move in Alaska.
Breitbart reported that on Monday, Trump reversed a shortsighted Biden administration decision to block the construction of Ambler Road, a crucial 200-mile corridor north of Fairbanks that opens the door to the mineral-rich Ambler Mining District.
This isn’t just about a stretch of asphalt; it’s about tapping into one of the country’s most abundant copper reserves, alongside other critical minerals like gold, silver, lead, zinc, gallium, and germanium.
Trump announced the Oval Office, flanked by Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright, signaling a unified push to prioritize American resource development over bureaucratic red tape.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about paving over pristine wilderness for kicks—it’s about jobs, opportunity, and giving Alaskans the chance to harness the wealth beneath their feet.
Local sentiment seems to align with this vision, as many in the state are eager for the economic boost and employment prospects that come with responsible resource extraction.
Now, let’s talk stakes—copper isn’t just shiny metal; it’s the backbone of modern infrastructure, with data centers guzzling tens of thousands of tons and even single-family homes packing up to 400 pounds of the stuff.
Yet, while America has been snoozing on its mining game, China controls a staggering 85 to 100 percent of the mining and refining of the top 20 critical minerals, leaving us dangerously dependent.
Secretary Burgum didn’t mince words on this: “This is one of the richest copper locations in the country, and of course, today, to build a data center, you can have tens of thousands of tons of copper required for that. Even a single-family home today may have as much as 400 pounds of copper in a home, and we have as a nation in the past, basically gotten out of the mineral and energy, and mining area.”
Burgum continued, hammering home the urgency: “President Trump, when he said, drill, baby drill, he also was mine, baby mine. We’ve got to get back in the mining business. China controls 85 to 100 percent of all the mining and refining of the top 20 critical minerals.”
Translation? If we want to win the AI “arms race” and keep our tech edge, we can’t keep begging Beijing for scraps—it’s time to mine our own backyard.
Ambler’s treasure trove isn’t just copper; it’s a jackpot of minerals vital for innovation, and Trump’s decision is a strategic jab at reducing reliance on foreign powers.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright echoed the optimism, stating, “This is a tremendous achievement for the people of Alaska. We were in the North Slope of Alaska a few months ago, celebrating energy development there. They want jobs and opportunities to develop the resources on their lands.”
Here’s the kicker—while progressive policies often prioritize symbolic environmentalism over practical progress, Wright’s words remind us that real people in Alaska are craving tangible benefits, not endless delays.
Trump’s action on Ambler Road isn’t just a policy reversal; it’s a defiant stand for American self-reliance, a nod to hardworking folks in the Last Frontier, and a wake-up call to those who’d rather lock up our resources than leverage them for national strength.