Foreign Policy Live How Critical Minerals Explain Trump’s Policy
Dec 3, 2025
Gracelyn Baskarin, Director of the Critical Mineral Security Program at CSIS, shares her insights on critical minerals and their geopolitical significance. They discuss why rare earth elements are essential for defense technologies and energy systems. Baskarin highlights China's dominance in processing these minerals and the U.S.'s struggle to catch up. She emphasizes the need for bipartisan support and international cooperation to secure mineral supply chains, while also addressing the environmental implications of mining. This conversation unveils the intricate ties between minerals and foreign policy.
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Minerals As Foreign Policy Engine
- Critical minerals are a physical throughline in modern foreign policy, not just abstract ideology.
- Access to these minerals helps explain otherwise puzzling diplomatic moves and priorities.
What Makes A Mineral 'Critical'
- Critical minerals are those essential for national, economic, and energy security that face high supply disruption risk.
- Supply vulnerability can come from geography, single mines, or concentrated processing, not just one country dominating production.
Rare Earths Power Defense Tech
- Rare earths power permanent magnets used across defense systems like jets, ships, and missiles.
- Critical minerals are embedded in virtually every consumer tech and energy system, making them central to strategic security.