Trump Administration Works to Loosen China’s Grip on Critical Minerals
The Trump administration is taking another step to secure America’s critical mineral supply chains by expanding investments in African mining projects.
The Daily Caller reports,
“The Trump administration is looking to pour more money into African mining projects as Washington battles to break Beijing’s grip on critical minerals.
The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), a federal agency that helps fund businesses and projects in developing countries, plans to expand direct investments in strategically important projects, including African critical mineral operations, according to Reuters. The move would allow Washington to own a piece of certain projects rather than simply lending companies money, potentially giving the U.S. a greater financial stake in supply chains long dominated by Beijing.”
The DFC has already committed more than $3 billion to critical minerals and related projects across Africa. The DFC is also backing a $553 million railway project that connects mineral-rich regions in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Angola’s Atlantic coast, providing an alternative to Chinese-backed transportation routes.
For years, Beijing has dominated critical mineral processing, controlling more than 90 percent of global refining capacity for several key minerals, including graphite and rare earths. That dependence leaves American industries vulnerable to supply disruptions and foreign influence. As we have previously discussed in our report “The Fight for Rare Earths: How Green Extremists Ignore China’s Human Rights Record and Threaten U.S. National Security.”
By investing in new mineral supplies and strengthening domestic processing capabilities, the Trump administration is working to reduce America’s dependence on Beijing and secure the resources needed to power our nation.
October 15, 2026