The US Department of Defense launched a massive military buildup today. Officials quietly ordered 30,000 one-way attack drones for immediate delivery. They plan to scale this order beyond 300,000 units by 2028.
Exposing Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
However, this massive order exposes a critical supply chain vulnerability. These specific military drones run entirely on rare-earth magnetic minerals.
China currently manufactures 98 percent of the global rare-earth supply. The US government desperately seeks new supply chains right now. They must replenish the American military arsenal without relying on China.
EU Rushes to Avoid Tariffs
In Europe, officials rush to finalize a major trade agreement. The European Union hopes to satisfy US President Donald Trump soon. Trump threatens steep new tariffs on European cars by July 4.
The 27-nation bloc struck an initial accord with Washington last July. They agreed to set levies on most European goods at 15 percent. However, the EU still needs to nail down the final text.
Negotiators meet in Strasbourg tonight to forge a final compromise. They desperately want to turn the page on transatlantic trade battles. Trump vowed to raise duties to 25 percent if negotiations fail.
Read more about international trade agreements and defense technology updates at The WAU daily.
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