Trump’s critical mineral reserve is an admission that the future is electric
The Trump administration announced this week the U.S. government would work to build a $11.7 billion stockpile of critical minerals. That’s the headline; the subtext is more intriguing. The stockpile initiative, branded as Project Vault, is the latest attempt by the administration to secure supplies of critical minerals for U.S. manufacturers and what President Donald Trump says will ensure “American businesses and workers are never harmed by any shortage.” It follows recent investments from the administration into rare earth producers, including equity stakes in miners USA Rare Earth and MP Materials. Individually, they can be interpreted as an administration taking steps to calm a part of the market that has been roiled by its own trade wars. Collectively, they’re an…
