Joining us right now on the economy, big tech, and much more is economic security project co-chair Chris Hughes, who is also the co-founder of Facebook. His new piece in the American Prospect, Rule by Deal, is a criticism of the Trump administration's industrial and tariff policies. And Chris, welcome.Thank you for joining us today. >> Thanks for having me. Le >> let's start with the piece first.U the way you've laid this out, you you make a lot of pretty deep and important points. Um, you're looking at the ...

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. and China are engaged in a dispute over China's recent export controls on rare earth minerals, with both sides accusing each other of creating panic and misunderstanding, while expressing a willingness to engage in trade talks to resolve the issue [2][3][5]. Group 1: China's Position - China claims its export restrictions on rare earths are necessary for national security, aimed at preventing misuse in military applications [6]. - The Ministry of Commerce criticized the U.S. for distorting China's measures and accused it of projecting its own behavior onto others [8]. - Rare earths are essential for U.S. military technology, including weapons platforms like the F-35 and Tomahawk missiles, as well as civilian applications such as electric vehicles and robotics [8]. Group 2: U.S. Response - The U.S. Trade Representative accused China of attempting to control global technology supply chains, with the potential for 100% tariffs on Chinese goods if the situation escalates [4]. - The Trump administration is working to establish a domestic supply chain for rare earths to reduce dependence on China, including a deal with MP Materials, the largest U.S. rare earth miner [9]. - Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent indicated that the administration may take equity stakes in other companies to ensure self-sufficiency and combat market manipulation by China [10][11].

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent adjusts his glasses during a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and President of Argentina Javier Milei in the Cabinet Room at the White House on Oct. 14, 2025 in Washington, DC.China has been using its dominance in the rare earth industry to slash prices, driving foreign competitors out, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC on Wednesday stateside in an exclusive interview. He characterized the country as having "a nonmarket economy."In response, the Tr ...

It is the CNBC Invest in America Forum in Washington, D. C. happening right now.The events bringing together investors, policymakers and industry leaders for conversations about American industrial policy. And Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is about to speak to our Sara Eisen. Here it comes right now.Let's listen in. >> So thank you, America first. America first.There we go. So the investment boom I mean, it feels like every day we either get an Oval Office announcement from a CEO, some of whom are here t ...

https://t.co/NRoMaP9xijAaron Slodov (@aphysicist):CHINA JUST WEAPONIZED THE ENTIRE RARE EARTH SUPPLY CHAINget used to reading chinese MOFCOM bulletins because they're writing american industrial policy now.announced today: any product containing >0.1% chinese rare earth materials needs beijing's approval before re-export to https://t.co/cdGspel0XA ...

A previous estimate by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies placed China’s industrial-policy spending at 1.7% GDP in 2019. A new study by the IMF suggests it was much higher https://t.co/EmIXueY9vp ...

WITH WAR FIGHTERS THIS. YEAR WE'RE REALLY MOVING INTO THIS MODE OF REALLY PRODUCING. ED: FOR GIVE ME.WE HAVE BREAKING NEWS. PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SAYING HE WAS DUE TO MEET CHINA'S PRESIDENT XI IN TWO WEEKS' TIME. HE NOW SAYS HE SEES NO REASON TO DO SO.THE TEAM IS GOING TO PUT HEADLINES UP ON THE SCREEN. A SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF NEWS BECAUSE PART OF WHAT WE WANTED TO DISCUSS TODAY WAS CHINA. THE PRESIDENT SAYING THAT HE'S CALCULATING INCREASED TARIFFS ON CHINESE PRODUCTS.AND BEAR WITH US. WE ARE SEEING THIS QUITE ...

Core Insights - The U.S. government is investing $35.6 million in Trilogy Metals to secure a 10% stake, aimed at advancing the domestic cobalt supply chain and critical energy projects in Alaska [2][3][8] - The investment is part of a broader strategy by the Trump administration to counter China's dominance in the critical minerals sector, with previous investments in other companies like Lithium Americas Corp. and MP Materials Corp. [8] Company Overview - Trilogy Metals, a microcap mining company with a market cap of $343 million, focuses on strategic minerals including cobalt, copper, and gallium [2][9] - The company has mining claims in remote areas of Alaska and is involved in a joint venture with South32 Ltd. [7] Project Details - The Ambler Road project, which was previously rejected under the Biden administration, aims to connect a mining district rich in critical minerals [3][5] - The planned 211-mile (340-kilometer) road will facilitate access to significant mineral deposits and is expected to be environmentally sensitive [5][8] Market Reaction - Following the announcement of the U.S. investment, Trilogy Metals' shares surged over 150% in after-market trading [9] - Notable investor John Paulson holds an 8.7% stake in Trilogy through his investment fund [9]

Core Insights - The U.S. government's recent equity stake in Intel represents a significant shift in industrial policy, moving towards risk-sharing ownership rather than conditional subsidies [2][3] - Nvidia's $5 billion investment in Intel validates the company's strategic importance in the semiconductor industry and signals a new era of alliance capitalism [5][10] Government and Industry Collaboration - The U.S. government's stake in Intel serves as a signal that the company is too strategic to fail, enhancing customer confidence and reducing counterparty risk [3][4] - Nvidia's investment not only provides financial backing but also reinforces Intel's role in the future of computing, changing the narrative from a struggling firm to a key player in a strategic alliance [4][8] Nvidia's Strategic Considerations - Nvidia's investment diversifies its architecture risks and secures custom CPUs from Intel, which is crucial for its competitive positioning [6] - The collaboration allows Nvidia to expand its ecosystem by integrating Intel's CPU capabilities with its GPU dominance, positioning itself as a leader in AI infrastructure [7][9] Intel's Enhanced Credibility - The combination of government backing and Nvidia's investment restores Intel's credibility, potentially leading to a "confidence cascade" where other contracts follow [8][12] - Intel is repositioning itself as a platform partner rather than a standalone champion, adapting to the decoupling of chip design and manufacturing [9] New Industrial Policy Framework - The Intel-Nvidia partnership exemplifies a new industrial strategy characterized by alliance capitalism, where public and private sectors collaborate to mitigate strategic risks [10][14] - Future interventions in the semiconductor industry may follow a similar pattern, starting with state equity followed by private co-investment [11][12] Implications for the Investment Landscape - The shift from subsidies to equity stakes and strategic alliances alters the investment landscape, emphasizing the importance of de-risking strategic industries [14][15] - Companies in chokepoint positions are likely to have more opportunities for growth and partnerships, reshaping market dynamics [19]

Market Trends & Industrial Policy - Intel shares jumped 7%, potentially influenced by emerging US industrial policy affecting AMD, Nvidia, and possibly Pfizer [1] - The US government, tech community, and Intel are seemingly collaborating to create a US-based foundry capability, with Intel receiving contracts for volume [1] - Tariffs may be incentivizing companies to build in the US, potentially leading to deals where Intel is used as a manufacturer to avoid tariffs [1][2] Company Strategy & Competition - Intel faces challenges in manufacturing and needs to reach 2 nanometer production to compete with TSMC [1] - AMD's market capitalization once reached $270 billion, surpassing Intel's sub-$100 billion valuation, but Intel is catching up [1] - AMD might be considering using Intel as a foundry customer [1] Antitrust Concerns & Contractual Relationships - Nvidia may face antitrust scrutiny regarding its compute allocation practices [3] - Nvidia's contracts with hyperscalers may allow Nvidia to resell up to 50% of the capacity [4][6]