China rivalry ‘no excuse’: US Democrats allege corruption in Trump’s mining deals

US Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday accused the Donald Trump administration of using the critical minerals contest with China as an excuse for corruption – alleging billions of dollars in deals were enriching the president’s family and friends.

“Competition with China is no excuse for abandoning safeguards that prevent taxpayer funds from being misused for private enrichment,” said Linda Sanchez, the Democratic lawmaker from California, at a Ways and Means Committee hearing titled “Strategic Partnerships to Secure Critical Resources and Supply Chains”.

“We also cannot say that because China is a strategic competitor, every mining deal is automatically a good deal.”

The Trump administration has poured billions of dollars into domestic and overseas mining projects, acquired stakes in US mining companies and established bilateral and international partnerships in a bid to break China’s chokehold on critical mineral supply chains.

Beijing holds a near monopoly in the processing of major minerals such as graphite, gallium, tungsten, germanium and rare earth elements – metals that are critical to military systems, semiconductor manufacturing and robotics.

While US industry leaders and mining experts have welcomed the investments on national security grounds, many have raised concerns about a lack of transparency and favouritism in awarding mining contracts.