Moolenaar Urges Allies to Retaliate Over Rare Earth Curbs

House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party chair Rep. John Moolenaar wrote to President Trump on Sept. 18 urging him to press G7, NATO and Quad partners to join the U.S. in reciprocal measures targeting Chinese curbs on rare-earth elements and permanent magnets.

Moolenaar framed the request as a follow-on to the administration's effort to persuade G7 allies to impose tariffs on China over its support for Russia, arguing a similar coordinated response could blunt Beijing’s ability to "choke" critical exports. He emphasized the strategic importance of rare-earths and high-performance magnets for defense systems, electric vehicles and renewable technologies and warned that unilateral export controls by China deepen supply-chain vulnerabilities.

The letter calls for allied action that could include coordinated tariffs and other reciprocal trade and policy measures to restore market access and deter further restrictions. The appeal signals growing bipartisan concern in Washington about reliance on a concentrated supply chain for strategically vital materials.