How a Two-Cent Item Threatens U.S. National

There’s seemingly nothing smaller in a trendy economic system than a two-cent nitrile glove. However, these rubber gloves have turn out to be a foundational half of personal security and hand safety. They’re now deeply important for medical professionals, America’s armed forces, and U.S. manufacturing.

Consider that the United States makes use of 100 to 120 billion nitrile gloves each 12 months. But less than one p.c of these nitrile gloves are literally made in the United States. That means our nation has turn out to be astonishingly dependent on abroad glove producers, significantly in China and Asia.

Americans are actually acquainted with nitrile medical examination gloves. They bear in mind the provision chain shortages that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic. As we discovered at the time, health security is national security. And proper now, we’re seeing comparable provide disruptions. Countries are struggling shortages of the uncooked petrochemicals needed to produce nitrile gloves due to transportation disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. 

SEE ALSO: CENTCOM Drops Details on Strait Push – and Obliterates Iran’s Fake Strike Claim

Today, almost half of the gloves used in the United States are produced by Chinese corporations in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia under the auspices of the Chinese Communist Party. In fact, China has invested closely in new glove-making capability—half of Beijing’s deliberate strategy to dominate global manufacturing and create an import-reliance that will be leveraged geopolitically. It’s not laborious to think about how points triggered by the Iran battle and the Strait of Hormuz might pale in comparability to a comparable disruption in the Strait of Malacca.

Although Malaysia also provides nitrile gloves to the United States, most shipments come from Southeast Asia through Chinese trans-shipment and shell corporations established to evade U.S. tariffs. The outcome of this camouflage and deception is a growing provide chain vulnerability for the United States.

Significantly, medical functions are only one of the makes use of of nitrile gloves. In addition to healthcare, nitrile gloves also serve as key security attire for staff in mineral processing, semiconductor fabrication, biomedical manufacturing, and superior manufacturing. They’re also used by farmhands, food staff, and first responders. That makes these two-cent parts an unexpectedly important half of U.S. industrial manufacturing.

There are also the wants of America’s armed forces. Soldiers topping off oil in an Abrams tank require security gloves. So do Marines servicing hydraulic fluid in Cobra assault helicopters, sailors refueling diesel mills, and airmen repairing the coatings on an F-22 Raptor.

At current, America’s armed forces, medical staff, law enforcement officers, manufacturing unit staff, ranchers, and farmers are largely utilizing nitrile gloves made in Malaysia and China. And they’re trusting that these nitrile gloves come from secure sources—and are protected from malicious contamination. However, because China holds the linchpin of global uncooked supplies, this vital useful resource is now managed by our best geopolitical competitor.

The Trump administration has promised to end this dependency. In fact, President Trump has pledged that the U.S. “will produce our medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and treatments right here in the United States.” His August 2025 Executive Order particularly recognized nitrile gloves as a vital medical countermeasure.

In 2021, Congress handed the “Make PPE in America Act.” However, loopholes in the laws have blocked its effectiveness. The Trump administration ought to immediately invoke the Defense Production Act to get rid of such loopholes and start securing home U.S. glove-making manufacturing against our current, overwhelming dependence on imports.

To absolutely rebuild home U.S. glove manufacturing, the administration ought to also implement home procurement mandates while tackling China’s predatory commerce practices—one thing the U.S. Department of Commerce is presently doing with its Section 232 investigation. Additionally, the president ought to issue an govt order directing the revitalization of America’s home nitrile glove industrial base.

America’s healthcare, financial well-being, and national security all rely on a dependable source of protected, high quality nitrile gloves. This seemingly small product issues far more than we sometimes understand.

A two-cent nitrile glove is a vital element of our nation’s well-being. We must not risk our national security for need of such a perceived small merchandise.

Brigadier General John Teichert, U.S. Air Force retired, served as commander of Joint Base Andrews and Edwards Air Force Base. He was the U.S. senior protection official to Iraq and not too long ago retired as the assistant deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for worldwide affairs. 

Editor’s Note: Democrats continue to put our nation’s national security at risk merely because they need to keep unlawful aliens from being deported.

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