WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The American Primary Aluminum Association (APAA) today released a video featuring retired four-star general and former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency David H. Petraeus highlighting the critical importance of rebuilding America’s primary aluminum industry to military readiness and economic resilience. Petraeus joined the APAA for a fireside chat held at the National Press Club on Oct. 16. 

The event brought together industry leaders Century Aluminum CEO, Jesse Gary, an owner of Magnitude 7 Metals, David Kaplan and research economist Dr. Adam Hersh to discuss the strategic importance of rebuilding America’s primary aluminum industry. At the event, Gen. Petraeus warned that the United States’ dependence on adversarial nations threatens its national security.

“We can’t be held hostage to others having the sole capability to provide critical minerals and strategics, including aluminum,” stated former CIA Director, Gen. Petraeus. “The fact is, we have allowed China to achieve at least oligopolistic control over many of the strategic and rare earth mineral categories and processing in particular and that should make us very, very, uncomfortable. Aluminum is in just about everything and we should have our own supply of this, this is one the areas in which I think the current administration has really done quite good work.”

The video also highlights the resurgence of American primary aluminum production, including Century Aluminum’s Mt. Holly smelter’s return to full production capacity in South Carolina, the restart of Magnitude 7 Metals in Missouri, which will increase U.S. primary aluminum production by 20% by the end of 2026. In addition, Century Aluminum is building America’s new primary aluminum smelter in the United States in nearly 50 years in Inola, Oklahoma that will double U.S. production capacity. These historic investments demonstrate the potential to expand domestic capacity and strengthen the industrial base needed to support national defense.

“General Petraeus is an American patriot and he knows what it takes to keep America safe. In a dangerous world, rebuilding America’s primary aluminum industry is about ensuring our country can defend itself without depending on Communist China, Russia and the Middle East for the critical metal our warfighters need,” stated Mark Duffy, President of the American Primary Aluminum Association. ” The 50% Section 232 aluminum tariff with no exceptions or exemptions is allowing America to rebuild crucial supply chains and develop the domestically produced military-grade aluminum our nation so desperately needs.”

The video is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b47jjC-YxYw 

About the American Primary Aluminum Association:

The American Primary Aluminum Association advances the interests of America’s primary aluminum industry and its workers through the Aluminum Now campaign. For more information, please visit: www.aluminumnow.org. 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gen-petraeus-warns-us-primary-aluminum-dependence-will-leave-america-held-hostage-to-russia-china-and-the-middle-east-302913472.html

SOURCE American Primary Aluminum Association