Trump Signs Executive Order to Strengthen National Defense by Securing Elemental Phosphorus and Glyphosate Supply
February 19, 2026
On Wednesday, the White House issued a new executive order declaring elemental phosphorus a material critical to U.S. national security and food production.
Phosphorus is a key ingredient in military technologies, including smoke and illumination devices, semiconductors, radar systems, and lithium-ion batteries. It’s also essential for producing glyphosate-based herbicides, the most widely used crop protection tools in American agriculture.
The order warns that without reliable access to glyphosate, farm productivity would drop sharply, food costs would rise, and some cropland could be forced out of production. Currently, the United States has just one domestic producer of elemental phosphorus and imports more than 13 million pounds each year.
Using authority under the Defense Production Act, the President is directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to prioritize and safeguard domestic phosphorus production, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Defense.
The goal: strengthen military readiness, protect farmers’ access to vital inputs, and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains that could threaten both national defense and America’s food supply.
Source: White House & Western Ag Network
