President Donald Trump is building a global alliance with mineral-rich allies like Australia and nations in Africa and South America to counter China’s dominant position, a top White House official said Wednesday.
It’s part of a broader strategy that also involves spending billions of dollars to boost specific companies, opening up Alaska to more extraction and reviving Venezuela’s mining sector to the U.S. and allies, White House National Energy Dominance Council Executive Director Jarrod Agen said Wednesday.
“That’s ultimately how we’re going to be able to close the gap, is that kind of global alliance,” Agen said during a webinar hosted by consulting firm Widehall. “You’re seeing that for the first time happen because I think everyone’s got the wake-up call.”
Trump is pushing for mining and access to raw materials across the globe to prevent market shocks from China, which has throttled exports that the U.S. relies on in response to the tariffs the president imposed last year. A deal Trump inked with Beijing to continue exporting rare earths and critical minerals in exchange for lower tariffs is slated to expire in November.
