Trump seek Central Asian rare earth – diversify US supply chains, reduce reliance on China

Trump seeks Central Asian rare earths to diversify U.S. supply chains

President Donald Trump said the U.S. aims to reduce reliance on China for critical minerals, announcing plans to strengthen ties with Central Asian nations during a White House meeting with leaders from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

Trump said “critical minerals” were a key focus of the talks, stressing efforts to diversify rare earth and uranium supplies essential for advanced manufacturing and defence technologies. The summit marked the first C5+1 gathering hosted at the White House by a U.S. president, following a similar 2023 meeting under Joe Biden.

The president highlighted new partnerships aimed at expanding U.S. access to mineral resources and deepening economic and security cooperation with the region. U.S.-based Cove Capital LLC recently took a 70% stake in two Kazakh deposits, with Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund holding the rest.

Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon voiced interest in boosting trade and rare earth exports to the U.S., saying the materials could support AI data centre development and next-generation technology manufacturing.

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The summit underscores Washington’s accelerating drive to secure alternative rare earth sources and reduce strategic dependence on China. Increased U.S. investment in Central Asia could reshape global supply chains for advanced manufacturing and clean energy technologies.