Trump Administration Ties Zambia HIV Aid to Minerals Access

Tuesday, March 17, 2026

The State Department is considering withholding lifesaving assistance to people with HIV in Zambia as a negotiating tactic to force the government of the southern African country to sign a deal giving the United States more access to its critical minerals.

Posted by reinheitsgebot at 09:30 AM | 9 COMMENTS | permalink

Apparently, Emily Oster was wrong. Treating HIV does pay--so long as the US is willing to hold treatment hostage for mineral rights. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/16/h ...

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-- Jess Calarco (@jessicacalarco.com) Mar 16, 2026 at 10:05 PM

Comments

I'm sure China will be happy to step up and fill that void. And then Trump will feign that we are the ones being wronged.

Just like with NATO after he spent years attacking it and now claiming they owe us to keep the Strait of Hormuz clear.

#1 | Posted by censored at 2026-03-17 03:37 AM

"Zambia? Hmm, let me catch up on the country. I'll just go to the CIA World Factbook and get some background data on Zambia.

Oh, that's right.

The idiotic Trumpf junta decided to rubbish that invaluable resource for academics, researchers, economists, travel agents, and military planners."

i.ytimg.com

#2 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-03-17 04:00 AM

Yep, an opening for China or anyone else for that matter.

#3 | Posted by fresno500 at 2026-03-17 09:14 AM

Trump is going to murder a few more thousand people.

It's a pattern. He likes it.

#4 | Posted by Zed at 2026-03-17 09:52 AM

Transactional as always.

Using Coercion to get a "Deal".

It's Disgusting.

I'm starting to think even Hitler was more Moral.

Imagine That.

#5 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2026-03-17 09:55 AM

"Transactional as always."

That's his only way of thinking.

Trump is the triumph of Zero Sum Politics.

#6 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-03-17 10:55 AM

I get: your mineral rights for fair price
You get: The privilege of taking care of your own medical needs

#7 | Posted by john_savage2 at 2026-03-17 11:04 AM

I get: your mineral rights for fair price
You get: The privilege of taking care of your own medical needs

#7 | Posted by john_savage2 at 2026-03-17 11:04 AM | Reply

I'm sure what is considered "fair" will only be considered so on one side of the deal.

#8 | Posted by Sezu at 2026-03-17 11:35 AM

In a single year, our country has fallen from global leader and something to aspire to and go to to a global pariah that nobody will visit, listen to, work with or believe on anything anytime soon.

And the MAGA idiots cheer as if we're in a better position now than we were in January 2025.

#9 | Posted by jpw at 2026-03-17 12:54 PM

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