Rubio Hosts Critical Minerals Summit as US Pushes to Secure Commodities Outside of China

The Trump administration this week is set to press its most ambitious effort yet to rebuild global supply chains for critical minerals outside of China, as senior U.S. officials host foreign ministers and industry leaders in Washington for a new international summit focused on securing critical resources that bolster national security. The initiative comes as the United States seeks to reduce its dependence on China for rare earths and other critical minerals used in everything from jet engines and precision weapons to smartphones, electric vehicles, and data storage systems. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will host the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial at the State Department on Feb. 4, welcoming delegations from more than 50 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Indo-Pacific, a State Department spokesperson said in a Feb. 2 statement. U.S. Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to deliver opening remarks, with additional remarks from senior White House and State Department officials overseeing global supply chains....