This article appears in “ The Scramble for Critical Minerals ,” FP’s collection of essential articles on a through line in U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign-policy agenda. Explore the full collection .
China built itself into the world’s rare-earth powerhouse over a decades-long push, and today it commands around 85 percent of processing and more than 90 percent of magnet production. When U.S. President Donald Trump launched his trade war in April, Beijing struck back by leveraging that rare-earth chokehold—ultimately forcing U.S. officials to the negotiating table.
Unnerved by its recent trade spat with China, the Trump administration is turbocharging efforts to forge a domestic supply chain for rare earths, the powerful materials that underpin technology from wind turbines to F-35 fighter jets.
Unnerved by its recent trade spat with China, the Trump administration is turbocharging efforts to forge a domestic supply chain for rare earths, the powerful materials that underpin technology from wind turbines to F-35 fighter jets.
China built itself into the world’s rare-earth powerhouse over a decades-long push, and today it commands around 85 percent of processi
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