US Could End Dependency on Chinese Rare Earths Within 18 Months, Trump Says

The president said that China’s ability to threaten America and its allies by dominating the critical minerals sector will soon fade.
US Could End Dependency on Chinese Rare Earths Within 18 Months, Trump Says
President Donald Trump gestures as he boards Air Force One before traveling to South Korea, at Haneda Airport in Tokyo on Oct. 29, 2025. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
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0:00

President Donald Trump said the United States would end its dependence on China for rare-earth minerals within 18 months under an “emergency program” to build domestic and allied supply chains, describing the initiative as a key national security priority following Beijing’s recent export restrictions.

In a Nov. 2 interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Trump said his administration’s new rare-earth plan would ensure that the United States can meet all of its industrial and defense needs in less than two years, citing new partnerships with Japan, Australia, and the UK.

Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek
Reporter
Tom Ozimek is a senior reporter for The Epoch Times. He has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education.
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