US President Trump and Governor Stitt open up about Oklahoma’s Inola aluminium smelter debate

Stock image for referential purposes only

A proposed aluminium smelter in Inola, Oklahoma, continues to divide residents, with the debate drawing comments from US President Donald Trump and Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt.

Many residents are calling for a moratorium on the project, while supporters want the development to move forward. The issue has also become part of a political dispute after Oklahoma Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Gentner Drummond opposed the project and sought to block it through a lawsuit.

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump criticised Drummond’s position, saying he wanted to stop what he described as a major job-creating aluminium project. Trump wrote that Drummond wanted to "dethrone a magnificent, job-producing, desperately needed aluminium plant that will be one of the best projects ever conceived or built in the Great State of Oklahoma."

Governor Kevin Stitt shared the President's post on Facebook and criticised Drummond's legal action against the project. Stitt said the Inola City Council was considering a moratorium that would slow the project, create uncertainty and put the proposed aluminium smelter at risk.

Dozens of Inola residents attended the city council meeting to express their views before the vote on the proposed moratorium. The project has been under discussion for several months, and many residents have repeated their concerns about the development.

Resident Roger Eaton said, “The environment is my largest concern, and I’ve seen so many examples throughout history… Everything was great until one day it wasn’t.”  

According to FOX23, the proposed smelter did not originate this year and has been under development since the Biden Administration. The broadcaster also spoke with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) about their regulatory roles and the information available to residents.

To know the long-term bauxite market forecast, book our report: “Global Bauxite & Alumina Market Forecast to 2036: Supply–Demand, Trade Flows & Price Outlook”

FOX23 also interviewed Audrey Robertson, Assistant Secretary of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation at the Department of Energy. She said she understood residents' concerns and noted that the department had provided USD 500 for the project.

Robertson said Inola's location, with access to the Port of Inola, offers logistical advantages for an aluminium smelter. She said the site provides efficient access to bauxite, one of the main raw materials used to produce aluminium, and could reduce the number of trucks and trains needed to transport materials.

She added, “It’s the most efficient way to be the most efficient place to build a smelter.”  Governor Stitt also warned that Oklahoma could lose jobs and investment if the project does not move forward. He said other states could benefit from the investment, stronger domestic supply chains and long-term economic growth if the smelter is built elsewhere.