On December 23, 2025, President Trump made a post to Truth Social boasting about the success of his economic agenda. He pointed to the fact that the U.S. GDP grew at an annual rate of 4.3% in the third quarter of 2025, higher than economists were predicting. He deemed this the “Trump Economic Golden Age.” On January 9, he boasted that 654,000 jobs in the private sector were created in 2025. However, on the ground, most Americans do not feel as though it is a time of economic prosperity and opportunity. It is unfair to expect Americans to rejoice in…

In the year 1992, former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping famously said “The Middle East has oil, China has rare earths.” Rare-earth elements are metallic elements that are essential for technology, and are used in smartphones, laptops, motors, and defense systems. However, China would not merely mine and export these rare earths, instead dominating the production, processing, and manufacturing of rare-earth elements. China currently accounts for around 70% of rare-earth mining, and 90% of processing. China can use this near monopoly to secure concessions regarding market access, technology, or tariffs. We have already seen this happen in June, when China utilized…