China has just dropped a sledgehammer on the global supply chain by halting exports of seven critical rare earth elements to the United States—yet another wake-up call that the globalist “free trade” fantasy was always just that: a fantasy.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce updated its export restrictions this month, adding elements like dysprosium, terbium, and lutetium to a restricted list. These aren’t household names, but they’re essential for everything from the electric motors in Teslas to guidance systems in U.S. fighter jets, and even the chips that run your smartphone. Without them, America’s high-tech economy grinds to a halt.
The New York Times admits that China is flexing hard—while 60% of rare earth production happens in China, nearly 90% of processing happens there too. And now, Beijing is refusing to hand out export licenses. Translation? You want magnets for that EV? You better ask nicely—real nicely.
This isn’t just about green tech and luxury gadgets. These rare earths are in missiles, lasers, drone systems, and advanced aircraft. And with U.S.-China relations entering a new cold war over tariffs, Taiwan, and general distrust, China is playing its ace.
Why now? You guessed it—President Trump’s bold 145% tariffs on Chinese goods went into effect last month. Beijing didn’t blink. They punched back with their own 125% tariffs and now this export chokehold. But don’t blame Trump for the consequences of finally standing up to China after decades of American capitulation.
This is exactly what Trump was warning about when he pushed for tariffs, domestic mining, and re-shoring American manufacturing. It wasn’t “protectionism,” it was national security 101. The media laughed. The Biden administration rolled over. And now Detroit, Silicon Valley, and the Pentagon are all wondering how long their stockpiles will last.
Factories in the U.S. could be forced to shut down if they run out of these high-performance rare earth magnets. Companies won’t say it out loud yet, but the panic is setting in. Production disruptions are not a maybe—they’re a when.
So while Beltway bureaucrats cried “trade war,” President Trump was playing long ball. He saw this coming. China controls the minerals, and now they’re weaponizing that control.
This isn’t just about trade—it’s about survival. And once again, Trump was right.
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