U.S. gets Rare Earths in Trade Deal but still Dependent on Beijing’s Output
President Trump’s announcement of a new trade deal with China has reignited the spotlight on one of America’s most dangerous dependencies: rare earth minerals. As part of the agreement, China will resume supplying the U.S. with critical rare earth magnets and other essential materials—a move being hailed by some and scrutinized by many, especially given China’s near-monopoly on global processing.
But while this may provide short-term relief to manufacturers, defense contractors, and automakers, it does little to solve the long-term strategic vulnerability. That’s where USA Rare Earth—and its CEO, Joshua Ballard—comes in.
Ballard leads one of the only companies in America building an end-to-end rare earth supply chain: mining, processing, and magnet manufacturing. He can speak directly to the implications of this new deal, the dangers of falling back into reliance on Beijing, and what real supply chain independence looks like for the United States.
Ballard is available for interviews and commentary to address:
- Why the Trump-Xi deal underscores—not solves—America’s rare earth vulnerability
- How USA Rare Earth is building a fully domestic magnet supply chain
- What policy levers Washington must activate to break China’s rare earth grip
- Why now is the tipping point for securing critical materials through U.S. sources
- The jobs, innovation, and national security benefits tied to onshoring this sector
As China signals it will limit rare earth export relief to just six months, the U.S. must decide: treat this as a temporary reprieve—or a call to finally act.
Joshua Ballard is ready to break it down.
To schedule an interview, request a statement, or inquire about op-ed opportunities, please reach out directly.
Relevant Articles:
Rare Earth Minerals, Magnets And Visa: Trump Says US-China Deal ‘Done’ | Times Now
OPTIONAL Q&A:
- What does China’s continued dominance in rare earth processing mean for America’s national security?
- How does the Trump-Xi deal affect the momentum of building a domestic rare earth supply chain?
- Why should Americans be concerned about sourcing critical materials from a geopolitical adversary?
- What is USA Rare Earth doing to make the U.S. self-reliant in rare earth magnet production?
- Do you view this trade deal as a strategic step forward or a dangerous pause button?
- How can the federal government better support rare earth mining and magnet manufacturing in the U.S.?
- What timelines are realistic for breaking free from dependence on Chinese rare earths?
- What are the economic and national security consequences if the U.S. fails to act now?
ABOUT JOSHUA BALLARD…
Josh Ballard is CEO of USA Rare Earth. He is an accomplished leader with more than 20 years of experience as a senior level finance and operations executive in technology and manufacturing firms in the public, private equity and venture capital sectors both domestically and internationally. He has a proven track record of building and managing diverse teams and tackling growth and turnaround challenges while steering company growth and profitability across industries.
Prior to joining USA Rare Earth in December 2024, he led the financial arm of Energy Recovery Inc (Nasdaq: ERII) as CFO from 2018-2024. In that role, he helped the company increase revenue by nearly 250%, reduce operational expenses from 70% to ~50% of revenue, and shift EBITDA from breakeven to 25-30% margin. During his watch, the market value of the company grew by nearly 400% over 3 years and trading volume increased 5-7x.
In the year prior to joining ERII, Ballard served as Operating Partner for OROX Capital Management, a Dallas-based private equity fund manager focused on providing distressed and growth capital for midcap privately held companies.
Ballard is expert in driving innovation and transforming business models, leveraging deep market insights and a results-oriented approach to deliver sustainable value, optimizing organizational performance and cultivating strong stakeholder relationships.
Contact Information: To schedule an interview with Joshua Ballard, please contact: Bookings@SpecialGuests.com or call 919-437-0001
