Part of what motivates Trump is that the supply chains for rare earths, a particularly sought-after subset of 17 metallic elements, are largely controlled by China. By mid-2025, with the two superpowers locked in a bitter trade war, Beijing showed its willingness to weaponize that control, unveiling a series of export restrictions largely targeting heavy rare earths. Though China eventually agreed to suspend their implementation until late 2026, the United States took the hint and has doubled down on its hunt for friendlier partners.
This year might be remembered as the one in which critical minerals took center stage. Of the 50 or so raw materials that comprise the building blocks of the U.S. defense and energy sectors, U.S. President Donald Trump has yet to come across one that he doesn’t like.
Continue Reading on Foreign Policy
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.