WASHINGTON, D.C. — August 26, 2026 — In response to recent coverage of reactions to the  proposed aluminum smelter in Inola, Oklahoma, Joe Quinn, Executive Director of the SAFE Center for Strategic Industrial Materials and advisor to Forging the Future, issued the following statement:

"What happens in Inola over the coming months will have implications across the country.

"The vast majority of the primary aluminum we depend on for everything from computers to fighter jets comes from foreign sources. This dependence has left the United States vulnerable, especially during supply shocks like those caused by the current war in Iran. The proposed Inola smelter represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to begin changing that by using modern technology to produce the low-emission aluminum we need here at home, at a facility built and operated by American workers. We hope this smelter will be the first of many.

“Local leaders and policymakers are right to scrutinize the project’s potential impacts and demand transparency. But that discussion should take place with the full context of what is at stake. Inola has an opportunity to not only create thousands of jobs, but to play a leading role in a great American comeback story.”