President Donald Trump - J.D. Vance Administration

#21,927
#21,927
VOLLeeann said:
‘60 Minutes’ report that prompted Trump lawsuit is nominated for an Emmy Award!

apnews.com

'60 Minutes' report that prompted Trump lawsuit is nominated for an Emmy Award

Last fall's “60 Minutes” story on Kamala Harris — the subject of a $20 billion lawsuit by President Donald Trump — was nominated for an Emmy Award for “outstanding edited interview.”
apnews.com apnews.com
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For best edited interview. You can't make this up. Sort of proves Trump's lawsuit. No wonder they are settling the lawsuit.
 
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#21,928
#21,928
lawgator1 said:
Could be big and a W for both Trump and Ukraine. Are any details out?
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from GROK:

The U.S. and Ukraine signed a minerals deal on April 30, 2025, establishing the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund to grant the U.S. preferential access to Ukraine’s critical minerals and natural resources, including rare earth elements, while supporting Ukraine’s economic recovery and defense against Russia. Below are the key details based on available information:

Overview of the Deal
Purpose: The agreement aims to provide the U.S. with access to Ukraine’s vast reserves of critical minerals, such as graphite, titanium, lithium, and rare earth elements, while creating a fund to reinvest revenues into Ukraine’s reconstruction and economic stability. It also signals U.S. commitment to a “free, sovereign, and prosperous” Ukraine amid ongoing peace negotiations with Russia.

Structure: The deal establishes a joint investment fund managed equally by the U.S. and Ukraine, with three board members from each country. Ukraine contributes 50% of revenues from future (not existing) state-owned mineral, oil, and gas licenses to the fund, which will be reinvested in Ukraine for at least the first decade. The U.S. has the first right of refusal to buy resources or designate buyers.

Signatories: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko signed the agreement in Washington after months of negotiations.

Ratification: The deal requires approval from Ukraine’s parliament to take effect.

Key Minerals Involved
Ukraine holds significant reserves of critical minerals, with estimates suggesting it possesses 5% of global critical raw materials and deposits of 22 of the 34 minerals classified as critical by the European Union. Specific minerals include:
Graphite: Ukraine has 19 million tonnes of proven reserves, ranking among the top five global suppliers. Graphite is crucial for electric vehicle batteries and nuclear reactors.

Titanium: Ukraine accounts for 7% of global production and has some of Europe’s largest reserves, used in aerospace (e.g., F-35 fighter jets), medical, and automotive industries.

Lithium: Ukraine holds one of Europe’s largest untapped lithium reserves (estimated at 500,000 tonnes), vital for batteries, ceramics, and glass.

Rare Earth Elements (REEs): A group of 17 metals (e.g., lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, dysprosium, yttrium) used in electronics, defense, wind turbines, and electric vehicles. Ukraine’s REE deposits are largely untapped, with limited modern data on economic viability.

Other Minerals: Ukraine has significant deposits of manganese, uranium, beryllium, cobalt, nickel, copper, lead, zinc, silver, gallium, zirconium, apatite, and fluorite, critical for energy, defense, and high-tech industries.

Strategic Context
Geopolitical Importance: The deal reduces U.S. reliance on China, which controls 70–95% of global rare earth production and other critical minerals. The U.S. sees Ukraine as a key supplier to diversify supply chains.

Russia’s Role: Russia occupies about 20% of Ukraine’s territory, controlling roughly 40% of its metal resources, including parts of Donetsk and Luhansk, where significant REE and lithium deposits are located. Russia has proposed a competing deal to the U.S. for minerals in occupied Ukrainian territories, which the Trump administration has not ruled out.

Trump’s Involvement: President Trump has framed the deal as a way to recover U.S. aid to Ukraine (previously estimated at $350 billion, though BBC Verify found the actual amount lower). Earlier drafts proposed Ukraine repaying $500 billion in aid, but the final agreement excludes debt obligations, focusing on future profits.

Challenges and Barriers
Landmines and War Damage: About 25% of Ukraine’s land is contaminated with landmines, particularly in the mineral-rich east, posing significant risks to mining operations.

Infrastructure Loss: The war has destroyed nearly half of Ukraine’s power-generation capacity, and mining is energy-intensive, requiring substantial infrastructure rebuilding.

Uncertain Reserves: Soviet-era geological surveys (30–60 years old) provide limited data on the commercial viability of Ukraine’s REEs and other minerals. Modern assessments are needed to confirm economic feasibility.

Security Risks: Ongoing conflict and the lack of explicit U.S. security guarantees deter long-term private investment, as mining projects can span decades.

Economic Viability: Experts question the deal’s short-term impact due to high development costs and the global rare earth market’s modest size (estimated at $12 billion, far below Trump’s $500 billion claim).

Negotiation History
Initial Tensions: A February 2025 meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy in the Oval Office turned contentious, with Trump demanding $500 billion in mineral revenues and accusing Zelenskyy of risking escalation. The deal stalled after Zelenskyy rejected terms that would burden future Ukrainian generations.

Breakthrough: A more amicable meeting at Pope Francis’ funeral in April 2025 and subsequent negotiations led to a revised agreement, finalized after Ukraine addressed U.S. concerns about fund governance and transparency.

Ukrainian Perspective: Ukraine views the deal as a way to attract global investment and secure U.S. support without compromising sovereignty. Kyiv retains ownership of its resources and control over extraction decisions.

Implications
For Ukraine: The deal could attract U.S. and European investment, bringing technology, jobs, and revenue, but its success depends on demining, infrastructure restoration, and peace. Ukrainian officials emphasize that it strengthens ties with the U.S. without debt obligations.

For the U.S.: It enhances access to critical minerals, reducing dependence on China, and aligns with Trump’s transactional diplomacy. However, the deal’s long-term impact on U.S. mineral security is uncertain due to investment barriers.

For Russia: The agreement signals U.S. commitment to Ukraine, potentially complicating Russia’s ambitions. Russia’s competing offer for minerals in occupied territories adds a layer of geopolitical competition.

Sources
BBC, NPR, Reuters, AP News, CSIS, Newsweek, The Independent, Euronews, NBC News, Fox News, CBS News

Posts on X reflect sentiment but are not conclusive evidence.

If you need more specific details or want me to dig deeper into a particular aspect (e.g., specific minerals, economic projections, or geopolitical implications), let me know!
 
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#21,931
#21,931
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#21,936
#21,936
So, if you want to know whether the "Trump's muy unpopular" narrative is BS, just looks at the fact that the recently-conceived Trump impeachment stunt has failed. Because Repubs shot it down? Nope. Because Dems refuse to support it. They know that Trump is too popular to actually try to eff with.

All they really have is some pots to bang trying to make him unpopular.
 
#21,937
#21,937
Orange_Crush said:
So, if you want to know whether the "Trump's muy unpopular" narrative is BS, just looks at the fact that the recently-conceived Trump impeachment stunt has failed. Because Repubs shot it down? Nope. Because Dems refuse to support it. They know that Trump is too popular to actually try to eff with.

All they really have is some pots to bang trying to make him unpopular.
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Or they realize it's much more valuable to their party goals for him to remain in place

No one is going to follow a guy wearing Maxine Waters' wig anyways
 
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#21,938
#21,938
utvolpj said:
Or they realize it's much more valuable to their party goals for him to remain in place

No one is going to follow a guy wearing Maxine Waters' wig anyways
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I hope this is the case because when these initiatives start bearing fruit, the Dems will have nowhere to go .

Remember, it’s only been 100 days. It took us 4 years to get intro this mess.
 
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#21,939
Last edited:
#21,940
#21,940
swampfoxfan said:
Ok then be honest, Biden isn't busy f☆☆☆ing up the country, diaper Don is. You do know Biden isn't in office? What Joe does doesn't matter.
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Let’s be honest, you have no clue about the country except what you’re told to think.

The Stock Market loves the April jobs report, which is much stronger than expected, with the U.S. adding 177,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.2%.
 
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#21,941
#21,941
Orange_Crush said:
So, if you want to know whether the "Trump's muy unpopular" narrative is BS, just looks at the fact that the recently-conceived Trump impeachment stunt has failed. Because Repubs shot it down? Nope. Because Dems refuse to support it. They know that Trump is too popular to actually try to eff with.

All they really have is some pots to bang trying to make him unpopular.
Click to expand...
When you are a Republican Party President and Fox News has your job approval rating at 44% and your job disapproval rating at 55% .... after just 100 days in office? These aren't the best of times for you.

Donald Trump is struggling in the polls right now, and that is not a creation of the Democratic Party and the liberal media either. You can bury your head in the sand, if you want to, but Trump's tariffs really are unpopular with everyone outside of the MAGA base. These tariffs have already resulted in contracting the economy for the first quarter in 3 years. That is a fact and it is not Biden's fault. This is Trump's baby.
 
#21,942
#21,942
Majors said:
Let’s be honest, you have no clue about the country except what you’re told to think.

The Stock Market loves the April jobs report, which is much stronger than expected, with the U.S. adding 177,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate holding steady at 4.2%.
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That is projection from a Trump cult member, who doesn't understand the basic principles of economics. You only understand that you must believe everything that Trump says, and remain unconditionally devoted to him.


Donald Trump's tariffs are a disaster.
 
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#21,943
#21,943
BowlBrother85 said:
That is projection from a Trump cult member, who doesn't understand the basic principles of economics. You only understand that you must believe everything that Trump says, and remain unconditionally devoted to him.


Donald Trump's tariffs are a disaster.
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It’s more inline with the previous posters post of f’n up the country. Regroup, reread and come back. Sorry Trump had a good jobs report. I believe what I see, what I live..but you’re sweet for the simpleton spin.
 
#21,944
#21,944
Majors said:
It’s more inline with the previous posters post of f’n up the country. Regroup, reread and come back. Sorry Trump had a good jobs report. I believe what I see, what I live..but you’re sweet for the simpleton spin.
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Bragging about jobs numbers is pretty worthless since they'll just get adjusted down. Always do
 
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#21,945
#21,945
Majors said:
It’s more inline with the previous posters post of f’n up the country. Regroup, reread and come back. Sorry Trump had a good jobs report. I believe what I see, what I live..but you’re sweet for the simpleton spin.
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A contraction in a quarter for the first time in 3 years isn't spin, and it was of 0.3% ..... and it had everything to do with how Donald Trump's tariffs created a surge of imports ahead of those tariffs.

www.businessinsider.com

The US economy just shrank for the first time in 3 years as businesses braced for tariffs

Amid tariff announcements and economic uncertainty, real GDP unexpectedly fell at an annualized rate of 0.3% in the year's first quarter.
www.businessinsider.com www.businessinsider.com
 
#21,946
#21,946
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#21,947
#21,947
utvolpj said:
Bragging about jobs numbers is pretty worthless since they'll just get adjusted down. Always do
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So now we pick and choose when good things are bad? And bad things are good? Must be exhausting taking the opposite stance so hard. 177K would disagree on the term worthless.
 
#21,948
#21,948
BowlBrother85 said:
A contraction in a quarter for the first time in 3 years isn't spin, and it was of 0.3% ..... and it had everything to do with how Donald Trump's tariffs created a surge of imports ahead of those tariffs.

www.businessinsider.com

The US economy just shrank for the first time in 3 years as businesses braced for tariffs

Amid tariff announcements and economic uncertainty, real GDP unexpectedly fell at an annualized rate of 0.3% in the year's first quarter.
www.businessinsider.com www.businessinsider.com
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Thanks for the meaningless article that will not be viewed. The response was again, to the poster who stated f’n up the country. You’re trying to hard.
 
#21,949
#21,949
Majors said:
So now we pick and choose when good things are bad? And bad things are good? Must be exhausting taking the opposite stance so hard. 177K would disagree on the term worthless.
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If a number is absolutely going to change then how useful is it right now?

Only stat more useless is the fabricated unemployment number
 
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