It makes sense that in the near term, Trump would want to restore access to these important resources. But in the long run, America must develop its own supplies.
President Donald Trump recently announced a preliminary trade deal with the People’s Republic of China. According to a post by the president on his Truth Social social media app, the outline of the deal involves complete access to China’s rare earth minerals in exchange for the continued access of hundreds of thousands of Chinese students and researchers to American universities.
Trump also announced movement on the tariff negotiations that, at least according to his post, were favorable to America.
America Can’t Rely on China for Rare Earth Minerals
The real issue is at the top of the post. According to Trump, “Any necessary rare earths will be supplied up front by China. Likewise, we will provide to China what was agreed to, including Chinese students using our colleges and universities.”
The terms of Trump’s deal have not yet been made public. But there are two major points of concern from the outset. First, the presence of Chinese students and researchers at American universities is not an unalloyed good. It has been shown time after time that one of the surest ways China sends industrial espionage agents into America is under the guise of foreign students. Second, and more importantly, the United States depends on rare earth minerals to create its high-technology products. It urgently needs to diversify its rare earth mineral portfolio—and negotiating cheap rare-earth imports from Beijing prevents America from doing so.
Around a decade ago, China went on a rare earth mineral mine buying spree globally. Because of those consistent, dedicated moves, the country now sits in control of the world’s largest known supply of rare earth minerals. This gives Beijing significant strategic advantages over the United States and the rest of the world, seeing as no piece of modern technology can be created without these minerals.
China’s rare earths dominance, however, only extends to already-explored reserves of the minerals. There are millions of tons of untapped rare earth minerals remaining in the earth. Much of those untapped sources happen to be fortuitously located in North America.
Having closed our rare earth mineral mines to comply with stricter environmental laws decades ago, the United States now needs to play catch-up with China. It is not in anyone’s interest to allow any single nation—and especially China—to dominate this essential market. It makes sense that in the near term, Trump would want to restore America’s access to these important resources. But that cannot be the end of the issue. Because China can—and will—cut off access to these key minerals whenever it suits them strategically.
Some Key Questions About America’s Strategy
With that in mind, where is the Trump administration’s plan to prioritize the creation of new rare earth mineral mines here in the United States? Likewise, where is the plan to gain access to Greenland’s immense stores—a major impetus behind Trump’s recent quixotic push to purchase the island?
So far, there’s nothing. And time is only working against the United States. Beijing may be placated (for now) into giving the Americans access to these essential resources. But what about later, when they’ve decided to invade Taiwan and are at loggerheads—again—with Washington?
The Trump administration entered office swinging hard at the issues that mattered. Among those issues, even if the public failed to realize it at the time, was the restarting of rare earth mineral mining here in the United States—and the desire to acquire Greenland in order to gain access to the bountiful, and relatively untapped, rare earth minerals there.
Trump had hit on the need for greater hemispheric defense. A few months after he raised these issues, though, they appear to no longer be the priority.
What is Trump Doing About America’s Rare Earth Minerals Access?
If gaining access to a reliable supply of rare earths was truly a national security priority—and it should be—the Trump team would have already laid out the environmental regulatory framework and the tax incentives to get firms to start rapidly developing rare earth mineral mines here in the United States.
At the same time, there would have been real moves on the Greenland issue. Even if the Trump administration gives up on its plans to purchase the island outright, it could simply cut a deal with the Greenlanders to allow American firms greater access to the rare earths in Greenland. But there has been no movement on either topic.
Meanwhile, China continues to enhance its hold on known global supplies of rare earths. Trump should immediately fixate on the twin-headed issues of developing US rare earth mineral resources while seeking to gain greater control over Greenland’s. Anything else is a waste.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / Joey Sussman.
