Washington Redraws the Map of Securing "Existential Resources" in the World

 

The world has recently entered an entirely new era of "crude realpolitik," where American diplomacy is no longer measured by the spread of democracy, but rather by securing the flow of vital resources. Under the banner of "America First," the Trump administration has shifted from trade wars to "strategic acquisition," a move aimed at breaking Chinese hegemony and securing American industrial dominance for the next century.

This article examines the map of American "material expansion," from the oil fields of Venezuela to the lithium mines of Ukraine, culminating in the Greenland conflict, which has redefined the meaning of sovereignty in the 21st century, or more accurately, returned sovereignty to its meaning of a century ago.


Venezuela: Operation "Absolute Resolve" and the Return to Black Gold

In one of its boldest military and political moves in recent times, the United States launched Operation "Absolute Resolve" in 2026. On January 3, US forces launched a swift operation that led to the overthrow of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The objective of this operation was not merely political; Because Venezuela possesses the world's largest proven oil reserves (exceeding 300 billion barrels). Trump explicitly stated that the United States would "manage" Venezuela until its dilapidated oil infrastructure is rebuilt. The US administration aims to increase Venezuela's production from its current 800,000 barrels per day to 3 million barrels by 2028, which would give Washington absolute control over global energy prices and break the influence of OPEC+.


Ukraine: "Minerals for Weapons"

As the world awaited the end of the war, Washington and Kyiv signed a "Mineral Resources Agreement" on April 30, 2025. This agreement transformed US military support into "investment capital." Ukraine possesses lithium reserves estimated at 500,000 tons, essential for battery manufacturing. With this agreement, the US secures a European supply base, reducing reliance on Chinese supply chains by 35%.

Among the provisions of the agreement:

  • 50% of the revenue from all new mining, oil, and gas licenses in Ukraine will be allocated to the "Reconstruction Investment Fund," which Washington will help manage.
  • The United States has a "right of first refusal" to purchase Ukrainian titanium, lithium, and uranium.


Greenland: The Cold War over Rare Earth Minerals

On January 17, 2026, Trump escalated his pressure on Denmark to an unprecedented level, threatening to impose 25% tariffs on European allies unless a "buy deal" was reached for Greenland. Greenland is considered the world's future "mineral bank." It holds vast reserves of rare earth elements (REEs), essential for defense industries and advanced technology.

China currently controls 90% of the processing of these minerals. Acquiring Greenland would give the United States complete independence in the production of F-35 fighter jet engines and supermagnets, reducing the strategic gap with Beijing by a full decade.


Taiwan and Semiconductors

In Taiwan, the debate is no longer about “democracy” but about “securing the global factory.” The Trump administration is pushing hard for the “forced localization” of the chip industry. The current US strategy is to pressure Taiwan Semiconductor Company (TSMC) to transfer its most advanced manufacturing technologies (2 nanometers and below) to US states (Arizona and Texas).

US military support for Taiwan has become conditional on the signing of agreements guaranteeing exclusive US access to semiconductor products in global emergencies. The United States aims to secure 40% of advanced chip production within its borders by the end of 2026, compared to just 12% in 2020.


Africa and the Middle East: Transactional Diplomacy

On January 15, 2026, Trump signed a new executive order on rare earth minerals, targeting bilateral deals with countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Saudi Arabia.

  • Congo: Washington offered security protection and billions of dollars in investments in exchange for long-term cobalt supply contracts, aiming to counter Chinese influence, which controls 70% of cobalt mining there.
  • Saudi Arabia: The focus has shifted from oil to mining; Washington supports transforming the Kingdom into a global mineral processing hub, as an alternative to Chinese factories.


The world now faces Trump's "materialistic doctrine," which posits that superpower status is measured not by ideology, but by control over material resources. Through these deals and military operations, the United States is attempting to isolate China economically by cutting off the sources of raw materials that fuel the Asian renaissance. One of the expected consequences of this policy is price stability within the United States through direct control of supply sources. The availability of cheap and reliable raw materials will also bring factories back from Asia to America.

On the other hand, the multilateral system may begin to erode, with international organizations (such as the World Trade Organization) being replaced by bilateral deals based on direct military and economic power.

The world is no longer a place for negotiation, but rather a vast arena for "asset and resource acquisition." Whether the means are "tariffs," as in Greenland, "military force," as in Venezuela, or "debt for resources," as in Ukraine, the result remains the same: a new era of comprehensive American acquisition.

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