In this episode of Rethinking Trade, Lori speaks with digital governance expert Dr. Kristina Irion and Rethink Trade research director Daniel Rangel about a key issue resurfacing in Brussels: The Trump administration's joint push with Big Tech to use trade rules to limit how democracies regulate data, privacy, and algorithmic oversight. Although recorded earlier this year, the conversation is newly relevant as Commerce Secretary Lutnick and USTR Greer signal openness to tying U.S. tariff decisions to EU digital policy concessions — the same agenda now back on the transatlantic negotiating table.

China’s devastating new move to cut off global access to rare-earth minerals could be cataclysmic — shutting down manufacturing of core sectors across the U.S. economy.

In this episode of Rethinking Trade, Lori Wallach speaks with Rush Doshi — former National Security Council Director for China and Taiwan and Director of the China Strategy Initiative at the Council on Foreign Relations — about why the tentative one-year pause reported Sunday does not remove the underlying risk, but confirms how much leverage China has consolidated.

Rush explains the urgent actions needed immediately to limit U.S. vulnerabilities, and discusses with Lori how we got into this dire situation — with China’s current rare-earths near-monopoly creating a chokepoint over basic inputs that keep the modern economy running.

China just announced new export controls on rare earths — the subset of critical minerals used to make high-power magnets essential for EVs, defense tech, and nearly every modern electronic device.

Lori Wallach breaks down why China’s grip on rare earths processing has become a global choke point 15 years in the making — and what this latest move signals for supply chains, allies, and U.S. leverage going forward.

Don't forget to also check out Katie Hettinga's write-up on Substack.