Commentary
The Trump administration has cut another deal with China that, in part, secures supplies of rare-earth elements. Washington, however, wants something more than this fragile agreement.
Thinking About China
Opinion
Washington Moves to Weaken China’s Rare-Earth Leverage
Recognizing the leverage that Chinese dominance in rare earths gives Beijing, Washington has pulled out the stops to find alternative sources.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump (R) attend talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the Gimhae Air Base, located next to the Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30, 2025. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
Milton Ezrati
Author
Milton Ezrati is a contributing editor at The National Interest, an affiliate of the Center for the Study of Human Capital at the University at Buffalo (SUNY), and chief economist for Vested, a New York-based communications firm. Before joining Vested, he served as chief market strategist and economist for Lord, Abbett & Co. He also writes frequently for City Journal and blogs regularly for Forbes. His latest book is “Thirty Tomorrows: The Next Three Decades of Globalization, Demographics, and How We Will Live.”
Author’s Selected Articles
