And you don’t think this concern was on Trump’s mind when he started strong-arming Ukraine for mineral rights. I mean what contemporary statesmen sees the multiple connections of international politics and Trade than our Dear Leader?
Ukraine offering minerals for Patriot missiles shows resolve and sacrifice in the face of brutal aggression. They’re not asking for handouts—they’re investing in freedom. The world must honor that courage with real support, not empty promises or exploitative deals.
Absolutely. If it’s a Trump deal, exploitation isn’t a risk—it’s a guarantee. There’s always a catch, always a price paid by the vulnerable, while he walks away richer. Ukraine and the world deserve integrity, not another con.
Yup that's the thing that makes me so frustrated whenever I have to explain basic realities to a few people around me. Sure we could go back to mass manufacturing many things, we could absolutely mine most of what we need...what do we do for the next 2-3 years minimum though?
So completely destroying the international trade regime while your own manufacturing base is dependent on imported raw materials wasn’t a great idea? No one could have seen that coming.
So it's spectacularly unwise to wade into this sort of a situation without thinking through the risks and mitigations. But our trade policies are being lead by a guy with an imaginary friend who has his own email address, so "spectacularly unwise" is baked into any policy.
Unlike a tariff or tax, an embargo means the goods (in this case, rare-earths as well as battery components) might not be available to US players *at any price* so the impact is larger than a price hike.
Others have pointed out that it takes years to develop new sources, assuming you can find them.
The risks of a rare-earths embargo was clear to anyone paying attention: it's why rational actors, BEFORE the big announcement, convene their experts to understand "who can hurt us, and how," since the enemy has a say. In every scenario, T bills and rare earths are among their levers of power.
I seem to remember a moment in history where one country surprise bombed another country, because it had been cut off from the crucial raw materials it needed.
Good thing we have sane people running this country.... right?
Yeah the problem with that is any sort of significant mining and processing is going to take several years to set up. By that time, shit's already going to be breaking.
Trump I don't think really cares beyond putting his name on it. I think it's the supposedly intelligent tech bros pushing this incredibly stupid policy.
Either they're really stupid and actually think their tech is magic or they don't particularly care about the damage they're doing to themselves
They were so busy planning schemes to terrorize immigrants, and to send innocent hair stylists and sheet metal workers to foreign torture prisons that they forgot to plan for the disastrous effects of their stupid financial decisions.
Should end well. Imagining the convicted felon, his brain decaying into pudding, trying to pronounce words like praseodymium, dysprosium, yttrium, etc.
I fear that this may cause Trump to ramp up his efforts to annex Canada and Greenland, and to assist Putin in conquering Ukraine. We know he covets our rare earth minerals.
It's cool though, he's going to do a deal with Ukraine for their rare earths that may or may not exist and which will take years to be able to mine if they exists.
These traitors/idiots/racist malcontents do not think things through at all.
Every member of this corrupt administration couldn't get a job in the fed gov in any other administration. These folks are the dregs of society, the worst of the worst and most incompetent idiots this country has to offer.
Rare earths was one of the 1st thoughts I had on Chinese response. 2nd was that current projects outside of China won't be of much help to US.
Example: Swedish discoveries will go to EU. "This provides a potential for Europe to take the lead in the green shift," said Swedish Minister Ebba Busch.
Comments
This is why “Trump’s bosses” want Greenland. Trump doesn’t know where it is
So do other nations. Not by force or invasion, but through mining contracts
Others have pointed out that it takes years to develop new sources, assuming you can find them.
dysprosium
gadolinium
indium
lutetium
samarium
scandium
tellurium
terbium
tungsten
yttrium
You should only take on China w the backing of the world.
More reason to invade Greenland.
Good thing we have sane people running this country.... right?
.... right?
Trump is Dunning-Kruger exemplar. Played by his betters over and over again, still thinks he's on top.
Either they're really stupid and actually think their tech is magic or they don't particularly care about the damage they're doing to themselves
100% Dumbass.
LOL.
I know this because the white guys yelled it at me;
"No DEI hires!"
This is "superior" white boyz in action.
Every member of this corrupt administration couldn't get a job in the fed gov in any other administration. These folks are the dregs of society, the worst of the worst and most incompetent idiots this country has to offer.
Example: Swedish discoveries will go to EU. "This provides a potential for Europe to take the lead in the green shift," said Swedish Minister Ebba Busch.