<h1>President threatens major tariff hikes and countermeasures over foreign rare earth export controls, risking trade retaliation and supply disruptions</h1> The U.S. president publicly threatened a 'massive increase' in tariffs and other countermeasures after China imposed new export controls and licensing requirements on rare earths and related technologies; he also indicated a planned bilateral meeting may be canceled. The measures implicate international trade law, export-control regimes, and existing tariff commitments between the two states, risking reciprocal duties and further supply-chain disruption for critical minerals. The situation raises legal issues concerning lawfulness of export restrictions, potential WTO remedies or retaliation, use of national security justifications for trade measures, and the procedural and substantive consequences of escalating tariff adjustments.