In response to growing concerns over China’s dominance and alleged “blackmail” in the rare earth minerals market, the United States is moving aggressively to revive and expand domestic mining, processing, and manufacturing of critical minerals. U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed in a recent interview that the Trump administration is treating rare earth independence as a full-scale national security priority.
Wright stated that Washington is engaging a wide network of companies — including small and large miners, processing facilities, and technology manufacturers — to rapidly scale up production. He acknowledged that China had strategically captured global control over rare earth processing in previous decades, making the U.S. and its allies dependent on Beijing. “We need to break that dependence — and during the Trump administration, we will,” Wright said.
On the regulatory front, Wright clarified that permitting is not the biggest obstacle. Instead, court-driven lawfare and litigation delays are the major roadblocks preventing mining projects from moving forward. He emphasized the need for both permitting reform and legal reform to compete with China’s speed.
Currently, California is the only U.S. state actively producing rare earths. However, Wright revealed strong resource potential in Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Idaho — outlining a broader western mining strategy. He stressed that mining is only the first step. Processing, refining, and manufacturing magnets are equally critical — and these capabilities must all be built domestically.
According to Wright, the U.S. will be in a “better” rare earth position within 12 months, but it will take roughly 24 months to reach a “massively stronger” strategic footing. In the interim, the government is working with private industry to tap existing inventories and aggressively expand rare earth recycling from old devices.
China’s dominance, he noted, was not accidental but the result of long-term geo-economic strategy. However, he expressed confidence that the United States will ultimately reverse this dependency.
Beyond rare earths, Wright confirmed that the administration has officially opened up ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) in Alaska for oil and gas development — reversing policies of the Biden administration. He accused the previous government of imposing more sanctions on Alaska than on Iran and Venezuela combined, calling the move economically damaging. Wright predicted a major boom in Alaskan production over the coming years as U.S. energy policy is fully realigned toward domestic expansion.
Despite the federal government shutdown, ANWR’s activation is moving forward — a development energy commentators are calling a symbolic and strategic victory for American energy independence.
Disclaimer:
This article is based on publicly available statements and interview excerpts. It is intended for informational and analytical purposes only and does not represent investment, political, or legal advice.
