America’s days of being taken advantage of are over. Now world leaders have no choice but to notice.
Because a bombshell announcement from the White House put these foreign nations on notice.
President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, said Sunday he expects a groundbreaking deal with Ukraine to be finalized this week — one that would give U.S. companies access to the country’s valuable rare earth minerals.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy initially rejected the White House’s offer, angering Trump, who labeled him a “dictator” and accused him of being responsible for starting the war with Russia.
Trump has made it clear: American taxpayers deserve compensation for the billions sent to Ukraine. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy is pushing for security guarantees and ongoing military support to ward off future Russian aggression.
“I expect to see a deal signed this week,” Witkoff said on CNN’s State of the Union. “You saw President Zelenskyy waver in his commitment toward that a week ago. The president sent a message to him. He’s not wavering anymore.”
The deal, as proposed, would give U.S. companies 50% ownership of Ukraine’s rare earth mineral deposits — critical resources for the aerospace, defense, and nuclear industries. The Trump administration argues this would reduce U.S. reliance on China and provide a return on America’s massive investment in Ukraine.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the deal does not include a military guarantee but offers an economic security guarantee instead.
“The more assets that U.S. companies have on the ground, the bigger interest the U.S. has in the future of [the] Ukrainian economy doing well,” Bessent explained on Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, adding that it would both strengthen Ukraine and deliver a “higher return for the U.S. taxpayer.”
The minerals deal comes as the Trump administration also advances efforts to end the Ukraine-Russia war. U.S. and Russian officials held what were described as “positive” peace talks — without Ukraine — in Saudi Arabia last week.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt suggested progress is being made.
“The president, his team are very much focused on continuing negotiations with both sides of this war to end the conflict, and the president is very confident we can get it done this week,” she said.
Trump has been blunt about his position: the U.S. has given far more than Europe, and he wants a payback.
“I’m trying to get the money back,” Trump said at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Saturday. “Europe has given $100 billion. The United States has given $350 billion. Europe gave it in the form of a loan—they get their money back. We gave it in the form of nothing.”
Democrats, unsurprisingly, are up in arms.
Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, likened Trump’s approach to mob tactics.
“It just looks like an episode of ‘The Sopranos,’ right? Give us your minerals or we’re not going to help you fight a bloody butcher,” Himes sneered on Fox News Sunday.
He also compared Trump’s stance to extorting World War II allies.
“We never went to Winston Churchill and said, ‘Hey, unless you give us half of London to build hotels, we’re not going to help you against Hitler,’” Himes complained.
But Trump allies are backing his aggressive approach.
Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio defended Trump’s negotiating style, calling it effective.
“President Trump has been clear—he wants to end the war. He wants to stop the k*lling,” Jordan said. “He doesn’t always operate in the most conventional way when it comes to negotiating, but the results speak for themselves.”
With the Trump administration demanding real returns on U.S. investments and pushing for an end to the war, the days of America handing out blank checks to foreign nations appear to be over.
