Glenn Diesen - Greater Eurasia Podcast Einar Tangen: AI Bubble, Rare Earths & America's Decline
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Nov 14, 2025 Einar Tangen, a Senior Fellow at the Teihe Institute and CIGI, dives into critical issues facing the U.S. economy and geopolitics. He critiques Trump's instinct-driven approach as lacking coherent strategy. Tangen raises concerns about the sustainability of the AI investment boom, citing risks tied to revenue and energy. He also highlights America's dependency on China for rare earths and the long path to rebuilding domestic capacity. The discussion touches on tariffs, China's manufacturing edge, and how countries like India navigate U.S. pressures.
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Rare Earths Dependency Is Deep And Old
- Tangen traces rare earths vulnerability to decades-old outsourcing and policy neglect.
- He warns China currently controls full processing chains critical to magnets and defense supply.
China's Processing Lead Is Hard To Close
- China holds near-complete rare earth processing capacity and is 10–15 years ahead.
- Rebuilding Western capacity would take years and leave industries exposed in the interim.
Policy Unpredictability Chokes Investment
- Einar says Trump's unpredictability deters long-term investment globally.
- Investors avoid projects that may be reversed within a presidential term.