Trappin Tuesday's Rare Earth War Has Started… Here’s Where Money Flows Next
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Feb 8, 2026 They unpack tariffs as a bargaining tool and how tough rhetoric leads to behind-the-scenes deals. They map Project Vault, a $12B rare earth stockpile, and why the U.S. sees it as national security. They trace China's dominance in rare earth processing and links to magnets, silver supply, and the AI hardware chain. They spotlight U.S. companies that could benefit from shifting supply dynamics.
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Tariffs As A Negotiation Lever
- Tariffs are presented as a negotiation tool to force other countries to the table rather than a policy meant to be fully applied.
- Wallstreet Trapper recounts examples where threats of high tariffs led to renegotiations and concessions.
Public Resistance Often Hides Private Negotiation
- Even when countries publicly resist, high-tariff threats often bring them back to negotiated deals rather than full enforcement.
- Wallstreet Trapper argues China and others eventually 'come to the table' under such pressure.
India's Tariff Shift After Diplomatic Pressure
- Wallstreet Trapper cites India removing US tariffs to zero after US pressure tied to Russian oil sanctions.
- He frames this as an example of how trade threats and diplomacy can change partner behavior quickly.