A new executive order pits the United States against the rest of the world over the question of who can exploit mineral resources in shared waters.

The administration moves to sidestep U.N. body governing the ocean floor and the harvesting of minerals and metals in international waters.

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at boosting the deep-sea mining industry, the latest attempt to boost U.S. production of nickel, copper and other critical minerals used widely across the economy.