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

An aide wipes clean a video screen ahead of the Critical Minerals ministerial meeting at the State Department in Washington, on Feb.4, 2026. Jonathan Ernst/ReutersThe 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.