Is the US Testing State Ownership of Key Sectors for Geopolitical Leverage?

Thinking About ChinaOpinionSemiconductor chips on a printed circuit board on Feb. 17, 2023. Florence Lo/Illustration/ReutersLi Li2/4/2026|Updated: 2/4/20260:00CommentaryOn Jan. 26, it was reported that the U.S. Commerce Department will provide USA Rare Earth with a $1.3 billion loan and $277 million in federal funding in exchange for 16.1 million shares of common stock and 17.6 million warrants. Depending on whether the warrants are exercised, the U.S. government will hold an 8 percent to 16 percent stake in USA Rare Earth, an Oklahoma-based producer.Li LiAuthor