Since U.S. President Donald Trump reentered office, analysts have struggled to make sense of his administration’s erratic foreign policy. But as FP’s Christina Lu writes, much of his agenda betrays one major through line: “potential access to China-free supply chains for critical minerals.”
Critical minerals, which include lithium and rare-earth elements, underpin the defense and energy sectors. They are essential to technologies from chips to F-35 fighter jets—and currently, the United States is deeply reliant on China for these resources.
But can the Trump administration’s tactics actually loosen China’s chokehold on critical mineral supply chains? And how much would stockpiling these resources even bolster U.S. national security? The essays and reporting below cut through the noise and offer real insight into the race for these powerful materials.
Trump’s Chaotic Agenda Has a Critical Through Line
What do Greenland, Canada, and Ukraine have in common? Critical minerals, FP’s Christina Lu writes.
Rich Countries Stockpiling Critical Minerals Is Not a Plan
The global race for resources must not become another global risk, Patrick Schröder writes.
Ukraine’s Minerals Won’t Solve U.S. Supply Chain Problems
Market realities will stymie Trump’s talking points, Joshua Busby, Emily J. Holland, and Morgan D. Bazilian write.
How Strong Is China’s Rare-Earth Card?
Washington is making big moves, but Beijing has a powerful hand, FP’s Christina Lu writes.
What the Critical Minerals Race Means for Women
They are crucial to the success of mining yet disproportionately shoulder its negative consequences, Jessica Anania writes.
The post Why Is Trump So Obsessed With Critical Minerals? appeared first on Foreign Policy.
