The White House has appointed David Copley, a former mining executive and intelligence officer, to a senior role at the National Security Council overseeing U.S. supply chain strategy, according to Reuters, citing three sources familiar.
Copley, who was earlier tapped as the top mining official at the U.S. National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC), a multi-agency panel chaired by the interior secretary, has now taken on the position of senior director at the NSC. The sources confirmed the transition but noted that Copley’s official title and status with the NEDC remain unclear.
An economist by training and a Navy Reserve intelligence officer, Copley previously served in the State Department during President Trump’s first term, working on Iraq-related matters. His background includes roles at U.S. Silica and Denver-based Newmont, the world’s largest gold producer, where he held a strategic development position. He also consulted with Boston Consulting Group and worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency earlier in his career.
At the NSC, Copley is expected to lead efforts to reinforce domestic supply chains and secure U.S. access to critical minerals used in advanced military technologies, according to two sources. A White House official said he will be responsible for overseeing the NSC’s international economics portfolio.
One source described his broader focus as “geostrategic affairs,” a domain that intersects resource access and national security.
