Vice President J.D. Vance has sounded the alarm over what he calls a “looming national emergency” in America’s supply chain infrastructure, warning that the nation’s reliance on foreign sources for critical materials—including key pharmaceutical ingredients and industrial components—poses a direct threat to national security.
In a Thursday appearance on Newsmax TV with host Greg Kelly, Vance defended President Donald Trump’s decision to impose new tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), framing the move as both lawful and essential. He argued that certain foreign governments, some viewed as adversarial, have already begun signaling their ability to restrict exports of materials essential to the U.S. economy and public health.
“If these governments are threatening to cut us off from that stuff, that is, by definition, a national emergency,” Vance said, emphasizing that decisive action was necessary to prevent economic coercion and supply disruptions.
The interview came as a federal trade court continues to review the administration’s tariff authority. Earlier this month, a lower court ruled that Trump’s use of emergency powers under IEEPA exceeded statutory limits, temporarily halting implementation. However, a federal appeals court has since reinstated the tariffs pending further litigation, allowing the administration to move forward while the broader constitutional questions are resolved.
Vance insisted that the president’s actions were not only justified but required under current circumstances, asserting that the executive branch must have the flexibility to act swiftly in the face of global instability. “The president has very broad discretion to fight back, to bring American industry back home, and to make American consumers protected and much safer,” he said.
He described the crisis as both economic and strategic, warning that U.S. dependency on foreign pharmaceutical manufacturing—particularly ingredients sourced from China and India—has left the country vulnerable to potential supply cutoffs. Analysts note that as much as 80% of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in U.S. medications are produced overseas, a dependency that became painfully clear during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Echoing Vance’s message, President Trump took to Truth Social to condemn the initial court ruling, calling for the Supreme Court to reaffirm the president’s full authority to act under IEEPA in defense of national interests. He argued that tariffs serve not just as an economic tool, but as a mechanism to counter foreign threats and ensure the reliability of essential goods.
The controversy highlights a growing debate over the limits of executive power in managing economic crises. Supporters of the administration’s position argue that the globalized nature of modern commerce requires the White House to act decisively to shield supply chains from manipulation. Critics, however, warn that excessive reliance on emergency powers risks undermining the checks and balances that govern U.S. trade law.
For now, the legal and policy battle continues to unfold. With critical industries—including pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and defense manufacturing—heavily dependent on foreign suppliers, the administration maintains that its emergency measures are vital to strengthening American independence.
As Vance put it, the stakes extend beyond economics: “Failing to secure our supply chains doesn’t just hurt our economy—it puts our national security on the line.”