Thinking About China
Opinion

Trump Admin Backs Kazakhstan Rare-Earth Deal to Break China’s Grip

The United States moves to secure rare-earth supplies and cut China out of the supply chain.
Trump Admin Backs Kazakhstan Rare-Earth Deal to Break China’s Grip
President Donald Trump announces the creation of the U.S. strategic critical minerals reserve at the Oval Office in Washington on Feb. 2, 2026. Alex Wong/Getty Images
Antonio Graceffo
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Commentary

Backed by the Trump administration’s financing, a U.S.–Kazakhstan rare-earth partnership aims to break China’s dominance over critical minerals essential to advanced defense technology and U.S. supply chain security.

Antonio Graceffo
Antonio Graceffo
Author
Antonio Graceffo, Ph.D., is a China economy analyst who has spent more than 20 years in Asia. Graceffo is a graduate of the Shanghai University of Sport, holds an MBA from Shanghai Jiaotong University, and studied national security at American Military University.