U.S. Industrial Policy Warned Against German Rearmament Pitfalls in Critical Minerals Strategy
Washington is being advised to learn from Germany's rearmament efforts to avoid similar pitfalls in its critical minerals strategy. Germany is simultaneously rebuilding its military and attempting to preserve the industrial economy needed to support it, facing significant challenges due to its near 100% import dependence for metal ores and concentrates required for armaments production. While the United States possesses a broader domestic mining base and more mineral development opportunities, it still faces substantial import reliance for 13 critical mineral commodities in 2025. The core issue highlighted is that financing finished weapons or strategically important plants without ensuring competitive operating inputs and a robust industrial ecosystem can lead to a continuous subsidy requirement and weaken the broader economic foundation. Germany's experience underscores the need for a comprehensive approach that integrates rearmament with industrial competitiveness, rather than treating them as separate ...
