Rethinking Trade with Lori Wallach

Is Trump Using Trade Talks to Gut Europe’s Digital Rules for Big Tech?

In this episode of Rethinking Trade, Lori speaks with digital governance expert Dr. Kristina Irion and Rethink Trade research director Daniel Rangel about a key issue resurfacing in Brussels: The Trump administration's joint push with Big Tech to use trade rules to limit how democracies regulate data, privacy, and algorithmic oversight. Although recorded earlier this year, the conversation is newly relevant as Commerce Secretary Lutnick and USTR Greer signal openness to tying U.S. tariff decisions to EU digital policy concessions — the same agenda now back on the transatlantic negotiating table.

China’s Devastating Rare-Earths Squeeze: Rush Doshi on What It Means and What the U.S. Must Do Next

China’s devastating new move to cut off global access to rare-earth minerals could be cataclysmic — shutting down manufacturing of core sectors across the U.S. economy. In this episode of Rethinking Trade, Lori Wallach speaks with Rush Doshi — former National Security Council Director for China and Taiwan and Director of the China Strategy Initiative at the Council on Foreign Relations — about why the tentative one-year pause reported Sunday does not remove the underlying risk, but confirms how much leverage China has consolidated. Rush explains the urgent actions needed immediately to limit U.S. vulnerabilities, and discusses with Lori how we got into this dire situation — with China’s current rare-earths near-monopoly creating a chokepoint over basic inputs that keep the modern economy running.

China’s Rare Earths Power Play: What the New Export Controls Mean

China just announced new export controls on rare earths — the subset of critical minerals used to make high-power magnets essential for EVs, defense tech, and nearly every modern electronic device. Lori Wallach breaks down why China’s grip on rare earths processing has become a global choke point 15 years in the making — and what this latest move signals for supply chains, allies, and U.S. leverage going forward. Don't forget to also check out Katie Hettinga's write-up on Substack. [https://economicpopulist.substack.com/i/176442923/china-cutting-off-rare-earths-supply-chain]

BREAKING: The end of the de minimis loophole for China’s goods?

In this episode of Rethinking Trade: Did the dangerous de minimis trade loophole finally get closed for goods from China on May 2? Woohoo – tariff-dodging is now forbidden. But the Trump administration’s wavier of a longstanding customs enforcement rule might make the change harder to enforce.    Lori will explain what it means for the import inspectionsneeded to catch fentanyl-laced fake pills and why we now need the administration to publish importer requirements and close down the loophole for imports from other countries.

Tariffs Recap: China, the 90-day pause and more.

Lori Wallach breaks down the confusion, the consequences, and what’s coming next on the Trump administration's actions on China, the 90-day pause, and more.