The U.S. is seeking to disrupt China's raw material dominance.

Washington, D.C., October 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --The United States has launched a strategic initiative dubbed the "mineral rebellion" by former CIA and Pentagon advisor Jim Rickards aimed at ending China’s long-standing dominance in raw materials that support economic and national defense.

Rickards stated, "We are almost 100% dependent on China for 20 critical minerals needed to support everything from NVIDIA’s artificial intelligence chips to Elon Musk’s electric vehicles, robots, and satellites. This dependency is utilized in every device with an 'open' button, including advanced military weapons like the F-16 fighter jets and drones."

According to Rickards, this dependency reached a breaking point when "China blocked the export of these critical minerals to the United States." He warned, "If we do not act – our entire economy could spiral into a crisis."

Trump's Countermove

Rickards noted that President Trump moved swiftly to regain control of the nation’s embedded wealth:

"First, he is taking steps to open up all our federal lands that house approximately $150 trillion worth of natural resources. With a stroke of a pen, Trump initiated 250 million acres that had been closed for over a century."

Rickards added, "The President issued a Presidential Executive Order facilitating the extraction of trillions of dollars worth of minerals beneath the sea... There is a 'continent' full of riches beneath the ocean." He exclaimed, "Yes, it’s finally happening!"

The End of Bureaucratic Lock

According to Rickards, the turning point occurred when "Trump’s Supreme Court overturned the Chernov Doctrine." This allowed supposed government experts to halt any mining project at any time for any reason, but that has now ended. "After 50 years, we can now obtain them!”

He stated that Washington is inviting the private sector to develop the nation’s resource base in a way the government has never done before.

Rickards remarked, "These public lands are now being opened to liberate this mineral wealth, with the government reaching out to investors... Trump is currently rolling out the red carpet."

$150 Trillion Opportunity

In his American Birthright presentation, Rickards defined the potential as follows: "Trump and his team are pushing for the release of at least $150 trillion worth of 'national heritage'... this is valuable enough to pay off the national debt four times, capable of buying every home in America, and still have trillions left over," he emphasized.

He stressed that this is not a government aid program, but rather "an opportunity for the average American to achieve unimaginable wealth and a chance for a few lesser-known companies to become recognized names in the coming years."

Rickards compared Trump’s initiative to past national transformations, stating, "Trump will do something on a scale far greater than Franklin D. Roosevelt and Social Security... the plan is 93 times bigger."

From Crisis to Control

Rickards frames the mineral rebellion as both an economic and strategic necessity. "Who benefits from keeping our vast mineral resources shut off for decades? CHINA!"

He stated that reclaiming these resources is key to ending foreign dependency and restoring industrial sovereignty. "We know exactly where these minerals are. We know they are worth trillions of dollars. Now... after half a century, we can obtain them!”

About Jim Rickards

Jim Rickards is a former advisor to the CIA, Pentagon, and U.S. Treasury Department. He predicted the 2008 financial crisis, Trump’s victory in 2016, and the pandemic shutdowns of 2020 months before they occurred. He currently publishes a newsletter called Strategic Intelligence, providing monthly briefings on geopolitical, economic, and national security issues.