Rep. Eli Crane, a U.S. Congressman representing Arizona’s 2nd district since 2023, commented on the designation of copper as a critical mineral and expressed concerns about Chinese influence in American schools in posts on August 26, 2025.
On August 26, 2025, Crane stated, “Designating copper as a critical mineral is good news for Arizona. We produce more than two-thirds of American copper and are poised to lead the charge. This strategic move will reduce our reliance on adversaries, strengthen national security, and supercharge our economy.” In another post later that day, he posted simply, “”.
In a separate tweet posted at 22:15 UTC on August 26, Crane wrote: “We should not be letting CCP agents infiltrate our schools, particularly when it involves research being funded by US taxpayers. China is not our friend.”
Crane has represented Arizona’s 2nd district in Congress since defeating Tom O’Halleran in the 2022 election cycle. Born in Tucson in 1980 and currently residing in Oro Valley, Crane has focused his congressional work on issues impacting both national security and local economic interests such as mining.
