Why the U.S. Needs Rare Earth Metals from China

WASHINGTON — As President Trump’s administration pushes tariffs on Chinese imports to an unprecedented 55%, one exception stands out in the escalating trade war: rare earth metals.

Even amid rising tensions, the U.S. continues to import rare earths from China—a quiet but critical dependency that most Americans don’t even know exists.

But in reality, rare earth metals are the invisible backbone of American industry, technology, and defense—and for now, the U.S. simply can’t afford to go without them.

What Are Rare Earths, and Why Do They Matter?

Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of 17 metallic elements used in everything from consumer electronics to military weaponry. Despite their name, they’re relatively common—but hard to extract and even harder to refine.

They’re essential in:

• Smartphones and laptops

• Electric vehicle motors and batteries

• Wind turbines and solar panels

• F-35 fighter jets and missile guidance systems

• Nuclear submarines and satellite communication systems

If a device needs power, precision, or speed, there’s a good chance it relies on rare earths.

China’s Dominance: The Strategic Choke Point

Although the U.S. has rare earth deposits, it lacks the industrial capacity to process them at scale.

📊 China processes over 80% of the world’s rare earth supply—and has done so for decades.

This gives Beijing extraordinary leverage. Even with trade friction intensifying, the U.S. is dependent on China’s refining capacity to keep its tech and defense sectors running.

The National Security Angle

Rare earths aren’t just an economic issue—they’re a national security imperative.

Without these metals, the U.S. would struggle to:

• Produce advanced military equipment

• Maintain its renewable energy transition

• Compete in high-end electronics manufacturing

• Defend supply chains in a crisis

In short: no rare earths, no modern military. No modern economy.

Can the U.S. Replace China? Not Yet.

While efforts to restart rare earth mining and processing in the U.S. have accelerated—including projects in California and Texas—experts say it could take 5 to 10 years to build a fully independent supply chain.

That’s why, despite aggressive tariffs and political rhetoric, the U.S. has carved out an exception in the trade deal for rare earths.

Because without them, key sectors of the American economy would come to a standstill.

The U.S.–China relationship is defined today by tension and competition.
But when it comes to rare earths, cooperation still exists beneath the surface—because it has to.

Until America develops its own full-spectrum rare earth processing industry, it will remain strategically dependent on its biggest rival.

And in global power politics, few resources are more quietly powerful than rare earths.