China halts rare earth exports; Tesla, GM, Ford screwed?

testerdahl

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Staff member
The ongoing global trade war took another turn as China halts rare earth exports and magnets to the U.S., causing damaging effects to automakers. This export ban expanded yesterday with Beijing now restricting the export of rare earth minerals and magnets almost entirely refined by China. These minerals and magnets are vital to the U.S. and used in many things like advanced fighter jets, missiles, cell phones and every electric and hybrid vehicle. President Trump has announced a new national security investigation after this export ban was announced. Why are rare earth minerals and magnets important? According to the White […] (read full article...)
 
Great coverage on this. Not good news for Boeing either. China canceling orders for American made aircraft can be offset by selling those aircraft elsewhere, but with the restrictions on rare earths they may not be able to build those aircraft to sell.
 
Thanks guys. I sometimes think I'm turning off viewers with this type of coverage since none of the other truck channels are covering it. However, how can you NOT talk about it? I feel like it is going to have large consequences in the coming months. Personally and professionally, I want to stay informed. And this took me the entire damn day.

I don't know if the President is right or wrong. I do think we need to develop our own resources. However, I would like to have seen us have our own resources BEFORE we poked the bear IMO.
 
Thanks guys. I sometimes think I'm turning off viewers with this type of coverage since none of the other truck channels are covering it. However, how can you NOT talk about it? I feel like it is going to have large consequences in the coming months. Personally and professionally, I want to stay informed. And this took me the entire damn day.

I don't know if the President is right or wrong. I do think we need to develop our own resources. However, I would like to have seen us have our own resources BEFORE we poked the bear IMO.
In this situation I don't think there was a chance in hell anyone was going to invest in the infastructure to build anything without a serious cash incentive or scare. Isn't it a shame it took them this long to figure out that reliance on China wasn't the answer? I mean they're our only serious threat and employ slave labor so bad that they literally have suicide nets up to catch the jumpers at the factories. But they kept on paddling up that river feigning ignorance all while recording record profits and churning out subpar products. When were they going to make the change on their own??

Also, I do think you're turning off viewers because the content is polarizing in and of itself. Also, again I say... it's all mostly speculation. I'm not saying your reporting falsehoods or bullshit because you're not. You have integrity. but the landscape is changing daily and making videos about what effect it's going to have is speculation regardless of which sources you cite.

All I have to do is scroll through the comments to see the affect it's having on the viewership.
 
I did a quick scroll of your videos and this video hit 10K views. All of your videos on the tariffs and EPA regs did well. The only thing that beat them recently was the mileage loop on the Ram. That alone should tell you that you're doing good.
 
In this situation I don't think there was a chance in hell anyone was going to invest in the infastructure to build anything without a serious cash incentive or scare. Isn't it a shame it took them this long to figure out that reliance on China wasn't the answer?
I wonder if I missed stating the point that we have invested $400 million in the past 5 years. Did I not make that clear?

I'm wondering about the thoughts of turning off viewers. Here are the metrics for the truth about the EPA diesel delete video for example. I'm completely open to your viewpoint. Do NOT get me wrong.

Screenshot 2025-04-17 at 4.16.34 PM.png
 
I wonder if I missed stating the point that we have invested $400 million in the past 5 years. Did I not make that clear?

I'm wondering about the thoughts of turning off viewers. Here are the metrics for the truth about the EPA diesel delete video for example. I'm completely open to your viewpoint. Do NOT get me wrong.

View attachment 910
I haven't watched the video, I was only replying to your comment that I quoted. I'm glad that video is doing well, as Saddle said most of these videos are doing ok it looks like, I haven't watched all of them. I don't know if that's a straight correlation to viewership especially since you recently said the channels had it's worst 1st qtr in years. Is that the video where you called out TK? If so, the viewership doesn't surprise me as you got free advertising from him and his followers lol.

I love your channel and I think I was one of the first forum members. I recently asked about truck content as I knew you had the new RAM and the AT4X a while back. To date I see one video each for those trucks. The AT4X was in a snow donuts video with the RHO and you recently did a MPG loop with the RAM. I just looked back through the channel and that's all I see.

As a viewer I feel like the focus has shifted away from why I subscribed to your channel in the first place. Solid, deep truck content answering the real questions and drawing great comparisons. I liked that you didn't only focus on the Rapor R or the TRX you cover trucks and you do that exceptionally well. I've been nummed lately with the lack of truck content. I can't help but feel like if that new RAM had come out last year you would have made a few videos on it really digging into the changes, comparisons, interior, towing, MPG (not by the trip computer) and pricing. I miss that.

I find myself disagreeing with your videos recently, the tarriff stuff, not the rest. There are very well respected economists on both sides with differeing opinions so it doesn't surprise me that truck guys can't agree. Tarriff's are paid by the importer to the government (treasury) as a tax based on the import cost, not the retail value. So, that $100 pair of shoes that Nike imports they will pay about $2.50 per pair to import... because shockingly they only cost about $10 to make in China, it's probably actually less than that. So yes, they could pass that $2.50 tarriff on to US customers or they could eat it or any other option between the two. It's my belief that large corporations have sold us, the US consumer out, as they reel in record profits, pay their CEO billions and produce subpar products all while shipping production and manufacturing overseas. Not to mention they also have very good lawyers to get around paying their share of taxes. Just look around at Apple for a prime candidate.

I don't believe the companies were ever going to correct themselves. I also don't know if what's happening now is the solution but at least it's something.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I’ve been feeling the same about the tariffs vs truck content. We did film a Ram RHO MPG drive and I plan to publish it this weekend.

All I can say is I’m not immune to the marketplace and the news impacting the automotive space everyday. Every place I go to lately has a tariff story. It weighs on you.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I’ve been feeling the same about the tariffs vs truck content. We did film a Ram RHO MPG drive and I plan to publish it this weekend.

All I can say is I’m not immune to the marketplace and the news impacting the automotive space everyday. Every place I go to lately has a tariff story. It weighs on you.

I thought about sending that as a private message but just chose not to. I really like your channel and the majority of the content... maybe it's that I'm just really tired of all of the speculation about Tarrif's and opinions being tossed around as facts ... that's from everybody by the way not just pointed at you.

I just want to see some great truck content and relax with YT.
 
I thought about sending that as a private message but just chose not to. I really like your channel and the majority of the content... maybe it's that I'm just really tired of all of the speculation about Tarrif's and opinions being tossed around as facts ... that's from everybody by the way not just pointed at you.

I just want to see some great truck content and relax with YT.
BTW, it dawned on me yesterday that the channel should get a BIG kickstart this next week. Here is what is on tap:

Monday - finally going to publish a Ram RHO MPG drive comparing premium vs regular fuel
Tuesday - My wife has 4 different upgrades for the Ford Ranger we will film Monday and probably publish this day. Also, a Tundra Rally Edition AND a GMC Canyon AT4X AEV edition are being delivered.
Wednesday - comparisons on the full-size or midsize trucks
Thursday - same thing
Friday - truck news recap and I hop on a plane to fly to Louisiana
Saturday - film video with Vic Shepherd and his Million Mile truck. Head to the airport and publish ASAP
Sunday - I'll probably push out a BMW X5 I'm driving this week

I'm hoping all of those videos hit. I may even do bonus videos of the trucks if I can find more things to cover such as interior only, pricing comparisons, infotainment.

Since the trucks are off-road focused, I'll likely do a MPG drive and stop at my friend's ranch for some off-road content. I'm going to see if I can find a spot with some tire slippage. I feel like I need to up my off-road video game.
 
I for one love your discussions about current events and how they affect consumers. The truth of how these policies and regs should be discussed, not hidden. You don't post those videos purely for political reasons but to discuss legitimate points that affect the truck/SUV market. If all you did were reviews, it would be a small short-sighted site. Please continue with the facts regardless of whether anyone wants to hear them, they need to be told.
 
It also occurred to me this morning that all the outlets I check for news are FILLED with tariff stories. It is literally the only thing people are talking about these days. Struggling to find stories that aren't about it.
 
It also occurred to me this morning that all the outlets I check for news are FILLED with tariff stories. It is literally the only thing people are talking about these days. Struggling to find stories that aren't about it.

I would expect that from news sites. But I don't really remember the last time I checked news sites for anything other than the latest propaganda.
 
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