Tom Gann to Trump: Consider impact of aluminum smelter on Inola

In the last week, several have reached out to me regarding my statement on the proposed aluminum plant in Inola. I wanted to provide further details on my decision-making process regarding this project.

President Trump personally called me about this project because America has not opened a new aluminum plant in over 50 years. Aluminum is critical to our ability to defend ourselves as U.S. aircraft and other military components are dependent upon it.

My father is a Vietnam veteran. My brother served in Bosnia; my nephew is an Army Black Hawk pilot; and my other nephew served in Syria. My family and most Oklahomans understand what it takes to secure our nation as Oklahoma is home to five military bases, and we are essential to the U.S. aerospace industry.

As I have told Oklahomans time and time again, I support the President's agenda, and that includes what he is doing to keep us safe and bring jobs back to the U.S. from overseas.

My opposition to this project in the past was never focused on the national security front or reshoring manufacturing capabilities. Rather, I did have some questions regarding the state incentives passed in 2025 by the state legislature. I was not in the legislature when the financial incentive package was put together. My concerns voiced in the past were about the structure of the financial deal. I was never opposed to President Trump's goal of building this plant in Oklahoma. Over the last few months I have learned significant details about the project and the overall economic upside which should result in a good return on investment for the taxpayers. Here are the details I have learned to date from the Trump Administration and others familiar with this project:

• China controls nearly 60% of the world's aluminum production which puts our military's weapons supply chain at risk.
• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is investing well over $4 billion into this project.
• This will create tremendous economic activity in Oklahoma and the US.
• There will be a limited number of people coming from the UAE to bring the expertise necessary to get this facility started and functioning. The vast majority of the promised jobs will be filled by Oklahomans.
• The UAE is a strong ally of the United States and a key member of the Abraham Accords. Even though the UAE based company (EGA) will have a 60% ownership stake in Oklahoma Primary Aluminum (OPA), Century Aluminum (CA) from Chicago owns the other 40% of the venture.
• The ultimate benefit to Oklahomans will be the massive economic growth that foreign companies such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan and BMW have brought to other states.
• The joint venture partnership of OPA will own the property. The OPA is a U.S. based company and will hold the deed to the property, not EGA.
• Massive upgrades to the rails and canals through and around the Port of Inola are already in progress.
• The city of Inola, whose wastewater treatment plant is in serious decline, will be able to eventually divert all wastewater to the new facilities wastewater treatment saving the city of Inola the costly burden of replacing their aging wastewater treatment infrastructure.
• The 1,000 jobs necessary to operate the plant should also create another 9000 jobs in the surrounding communities to supply and support OPA. An April report in the Wall Street Journal indicates these jobs are already coming to fruition.
• With this project Oklahoma will become a very important part of the Trump Agenda to re-shore mission critical manufacturing to the USA.
• H1B visas (highly skilled and specialized positions) will apply to OPA staff with the technical skills and know-how to spin-up this plant in a part of the country unfamiliar with aluminum production. The H1Bs will be a very small percentage of the workforce. Oklahomans will fill the hundreds of jobs needed to operate the plant on a regular basis.
• The UAE is not a fundamentalist state and their government views radical groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood as an existential threat to its stability.
• The UAE has banned the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.
• The UAE even discourages education abroad to the United Kingdom due to the UK's tolerance of various student groups, Islamic societies, and political activists linked to the Brotherhood.

In light of these facts, I now believe this project will benefit the people of Inola and also serve the national interest. As governor, I am also committed to a solution that ensures environmental protection for our farms, ranches and livestock, and we are investigating multiple levels of systems to do that.

MORE: Here is the April 12, 2026, Wall Street Journal article about the proposed Inola smelter.

As most of you know, I have definitively stated that we will not let Sharia law take root in the state of Oklahoma. I have publicly indicated that we will quickly ban Sharia law, designate the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council of American Islamic Relations as foreign terrorist organizations, and mandate law enforcement training to identify Sharia influenced violence and abuse of women and children.

Be assured, that I will ensure that as we protect our nation in supplying this critical national security need, we will also protect Oklahomans who live and raise their families here. To our men and women in uniform, thank you. We will do our part to ensure you have the materials needed for a safe return home.

Mazzei is right to point out the distinctive nature of the UAE. His comments about the number of jobs will not be reassuring to Gann and his constituents, who fear seeing their rural community urbanized.