President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have signed a significant critical-minerals deal at the White House, as the U.S. seeks to secure Australia’s rich rare-earth resources amidst China’s increasingly stringent export regulations.
The agreement, described by both leaders as an $8.5 billion pact between the allies, was the culmination of several months of negotiations, according to Trump. Albanese stated that the deal was “just taking” the relationship between the U.S. and Australia “to the next level.”
