Why Trump Wants Magnets More Than Gold

Beginning in 2027, the Pentagon will prohibit the use of Chinese-origin rare earth magnet materials in U.S. military platforms. That mandate cuts through the American defense industrial base, compelling manufacturers to verify the origin of the rare earth metal inside their systems–all the way back to the beginning of the processing chain. Defense giants like Lockheed Martin are overhauling their magnet supply chains to avoid non-compliance in 2027, warning that rare earth sourcing restrictions require traceability down to the mining level…