White House responds to China on rare earths

WASHINGTON: Kevin Hassett, a top economic adviser to President Trump, said China's decision to stop exports of some rare earth minerals was “concerning.”

Rare earths are critical ingredients for technology and electronic manufacturing.

“The rare earth limits are being studied very carefully, and they're concerning, and we're thinking about all the options right now,” Hassett told reporters outside the White House.

He spoke to Fox Business earlier in the morning, where he said the administration was “100% not” expecting a recession as Trump disrupts global trade with his tariff plans.