Topic: Critical Minerals

Donald Trump and Anthony Albanese sign an $8.5 billion critical minerals agreement aimed at strengthening supply chains. The segment highlights Australia's rare earth processing efforts, including plants in Kalgoorlie and near Perth, and debates whether the United States can secure supply outside China.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Tony Schaefer revealed that the United Kingdom signed a 100-year security and economic deal with Ukraine on January 17, 2025. The treaty grants the UK preferential status for Ukraine's energy sector and critical minerals. This agreement complicates U.S. negotiations, as President Trump reportedly feels the U.S. is being asked for security guarantees for a deal already captured by Keir Starmer.

A congressional committee report highlights U.S. dependence on China for critical minerals like cobalt and manganese. The hosts discuss allegations of slave labor in the Democratic Republic of Congo and how these minerals end up in Apple products. They suggest the focus on Congo may be a way to target Apple.

During his final overseas trip to Angola, President Biden promoted the Trans-Africa Corridor, a massive rail project designed to transport critical minerals from Central Africa to the coast. The $600 billion infrastructure initiative is a strategic effort to counter Chinese and Russian influence on the continent. Critics argue the project was framed as a climate change initiative in the media to obscure its primary geopolitical and resource-extraction goals.