Trade expert Lori Wallach cuts through the complexity and jargon to make trade policy and politics and the myriad ways it affects our daily lives accessible to all.
Episodes 1 - 43 were produced in partnership with Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch.
Is Trump Using Trade Talks to Gut Europe’s Digital Rules for Big Tech?
This latest Rethinking Trade podcast reveals what’s at stake with the latest Trump administration trade threats against Europe. Improbably, as he exited meetings with EU counterparts in Brussels last week, Commerce Secretary Lutnick said the quiet part out loud.
Lutnick revealed plans to trade away American domestic manufacturing (by cutting steel and aluminum tariffs). But said he would only do so if European officials complied with Big Tech demands to gut European digital safeguards. He targeted the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA). We know the first part of that deal would be bad.
Check out our latest podcast episode to understand why it’s a double whammy.
27 Oct 2025
China’s Devastating Rare-Earths Squeeze: Rush Doshi on What It Means and What the U.S. Must Do Next
China’s devastating new move to cut off global access to rare-earth minerals could be cataclysmic — shutting down manufacturing of core sectors across the U.S. economy.
In this episode of Rethinking Trade, Lori Wallach speaks with Rush Doshi — former National Security Council Director for China and Taiwan and Director of the China Strategy Initiative at the Council on Foreign Relations — about why the tentative one-year pause reported Sunday does not remove the underlying risk, but confirms how much leverage China has consolidated.
Rush explains the urgent actions needed immediately to limit U.S. vulnerabilities, and discusses with Lori how we got into this dire situation — with China’s current rare-earths near-monopoly creating a chokepoint over basic inputs that keep the modern economy running.
19 Oct 2025
China’s Rare Earths Power Play: What the New Export Controls Mean
China just announced new export controls on rare earths — the subset of critical minerals used to make high-power magnets essential for EVs, defense tech, and nearly every modern electronic device.
Lori Wallach breaks down why China’s grip on rare earths processing has become a global choke point 15 years in the making — and what this latest move signals for supply chains, allies, and U.S. leverage going forward.
Don't forget to also check out Katie Hettinga's write-up on Substack. (https://economicpopulist.substack.com/i/176442923/china-cutting-off-rare-earths-supply-chain)
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.9 / 5
20 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
12 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 59 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
83
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
85
Contact Rethinking Trade with Lori Wallach
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Rethinking Trade with Lori Wallach?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
