Trump Hosts Central Asian leaders as US Seeks Rare Earth Access/ Newslooks/ WASHINTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump hosted Central Asian leaders to boost cooperation on rare earth minerals and regional security. With China dominating global processing, the U.S. seeks new sources for critical materials in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and neighboring nations. The summit also revived the Abraham Accords with Kazakhstan’s symbolic support.
Rare Earth Strategy Talks Quick Looks
- Trump hosted leaders of five Central Asian nations at the White House.
- Goal: reduce U.S. reliance on China for rare earth metals.
- Central Asia holds major reserves of uranium and rare earths.
- U.S. investment has lagged behind China and Russia in the region.
- Trump emphasized “Silk Road” ties and said past presidents neglected the area.
- A new U.S. strategy aims to secure critical mineral supply chains.
- Kazakhstan joins Abraham Accords, reviving Trump-era foreign policy initiative.
- Bipartisan Senate legislation seeks to lift Soviet-era trade restrictions.
Trump Hosts Central Asian leaders as US Seeks Rare Earth Access
Deep Look
In a strategic pivot aimed at undermining China’s dominance over global rare earth supplies, President Donald Trump welcomed the leaders of five Central Asian nations to the White House on Thursday. The summit, a mix of bilateral meetings and a working dinner, marked a significant foreign policy push by the Trump administration to forge deeper economic and security ties with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The stakes were clear: secure access to rare earth minerals — essential materials used in smartphones, electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and advanced military hardware — while offering these countries an alternative to Chinese and Russian influence.
“These nations were once home to the ancient Silk Road connecting East and West,” Trump remarked, underscoring the region’s historical importance. “Sadly, previous American presidents neglected this region completely,” he added, positioning his administration as more globally engaged.
The timing of the summit is critical. Just weeks earlier, tensions flared between Washington and Beijing after China expanded export restrictions on key rare earth elements. Although talks between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping resulted in a temporary delay in those restrictions, the long-term challenge of Chinese market control remains. China currently accounts for about 70% of rare earth mining and an overwhelming 90% of processing worldwide.
A Mineral-Rich Region in Need of Investment
Central Asia’s potential is considerable. In addition to vast uranium deposits, the region holds significant quantities of rare earths. However, its extractive industries are underdeveloped and heavily reliant on foreign investment. Trade patterns reflect this imbalance — Kazakhstan alone exported over $3 billion in critical minerals to China in 2023, compared with only $544 million to the United States.
Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon called his nation’s mineral resources “very rich, boundless,” but also pointed out the region’s difficult geopolitical location. “We are between Russia and China,” he said, stressing that closer ties to the U.S. are vital to ensuring security and sovereignty.
Trump responded by reiterating his administration’s focus on securing mineral supply chains. “In recent weeks, my administration has strengthened American economic security by forging agreements with allies and friends across the world to broaden our critical minerals supply chains,” he said.
Each of the Central Asian presidents offered brief remarks praising U.S. engagement in the region and supporting enhanced trade and cooperation.
Senate Moves to Strengthen Economic Ties
Coinciding with the summit, a bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced legislation to repeal Cold War-era trade restrictions that still limit economic engagement with post-Soviet states. These restrictions, originally imposed during the Soviet Union’s rule, are now seen as outdated barriers to investment and strategic collaboration.
“Today, it’s not too late to deepen our cooperation,” said Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), a sponsor of the bill and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “The United States offers Central Asian nations the real opportunity to work with a willing partner while lifting up each others’ economies.”
The legislative effort aligns with the administration’s broader strategy to provide these nations with alternatives to China’s Belt and Road Initiative and to counteract Russian influence following the Ukraine conflict and broader instability in the region.
C5+1 Framework and Security Talks
The diplomatic gathering also marked the 10th anniversary of the “C5+1” initiative — a U.S.-Central Asia platform focused on regional security and economic cooperation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the delegation at the State Department a day earlier, highlighting the untapped potential for stronger ties.
Rubio called the summit “an exciting new opportunity” and urged leaders to look beyond crises and toward shared national interests. The C5+1 talks have historically centered on concerns ranging from counterterrorism to Russia’s influence and China’s treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor — who also serves as Trump’s special envoy to South and Central Asia — recently toured Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to prepare for the White House summit.
Trump’s team emphasized that this wasn’t a one-off meeting. “The president’s commitment to this region is that you have a direct line to the White House,” Gor told the Central Asian leaders. “You will get the attention that this area very much deserves.”
Kazakhstan Joins Abraham Accords
In a symbolic but notable foreign policy move, Kazakhstan announced its decision to join the Abraham Accords, the Trump-brokered normalization initiative between Israel and Muslim-majority countries. Trump shared the news publicly just before the leaders’ dinner.
Originally launched during Trump’s first term, the Abraham Accords established diplomatic and economic relations between Israel and countries including the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco. Kazakhstan, which has had ties with Israel since 1992, becomes the first Central Asian nation to join the pact.
The move is part of Trump’s broader ambition to revitalize the accords and build a coalition that excludes Iran.
“We are in negotiations, or talks, with many countries that really wanted to come in, but they couldn’t because of the status of Iran — where Iran had a possibility of nuclear weapons, which they do not have now,” Trump said during the dinner.
He also dismissed concerns that the current ceasefire in Gaza might collapse. “It’s not tentative,” Trump insisted. “It’s very strong peace.”
While symbolic, Kazakhstan’s participation signals regional alignment with U.S. diplomatic priorities, potentially encouraging others to follow, particularly if Trump succeeds in persuading nations like Saudi Arabia and Indonesia to normalize relations with Israel.
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