CHRIS CRUCIAL: The 'Gimme' President 🫴

PLUS: Secretary RFK Jr.? Almost. 🤏

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1. Transactional. Always.

(Donald Trump with his hand out/Getty Images)

Want to understand everything you need to know about Donald Trump? Read this from the Washington Post today:

KYIV — As Ukrainian officials considered how to sway a skeptical President Donald Trump to continue supporting their country, one strategy was to appeal to Trump’s businesslike approach and offer him a deal — say, rare earth minerals — to get something in return.

Now Trump says he’s interested.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said the United States wants Ukrainian rare earth minerals — such as lithium, uranium and titanium — in exchange for the security assistance that Ukraine depends on for its defense against Russia’s invasion.

“We’re looking to do a deal with Ukraine, where they’re going to secure what we’re giving them with their rare earth and other things,” Trump said.

Worried that pressure from the America First wing of the GOP — led by Vice President JD Vance — might make Trump less willing to continue supporting Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia, the Ukrainians are falling back on a tried and true strategy to get the president on their side: They are giving him something.

In this case, rare earth minerals. According to Ukraine, they possess 22 of the 50 rare earth minerals that are classed as “critical.” Rare earth minerals are essential to many tech devices especially for batteries. (Want to read more on rare earth materials? This will do the trick.)

Trump doesn’t, really, know what these minerals do. (The tell? This quote: “We’re putting in hundreds of billions of dollars. They have great rare earths.” Great rare earths!)

Here’s what Trump does know: Ukraine is willing to give him something. A deliverable. A sign that he really does cut the best deals.

Now, look. I think there is a totally credible case that China’s dominance in rare earth minerals poses a medium and long term threat to American business. And that by getting a bunch of rare earth minerals from Ukraine, the U.S. can fight on a more-even playing field for the tech future.

Do I think that’s the main reason Trump is willing to now consider more military aid to Ukraine? I do not.

All you need to do is look at how Trump handled the tariff threats he made earlier this week for more evidence of what’s really driving him — and how to make deals with him.

Start with Mexico. Trump was threatening a 25% tariff on all Mexican goods. Instead, he settled for a promise from Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum that her country would post 10,000 troops on the Mexico-US border.

Which is, well, something. Of course, Mexico already has 15,000 troops at the border. Are they going to send 10,000 more? And, if so, will that really have a major impact on illegals entering the U.S.?

Now, Canada. The only truly new thing in the deal Trump struck with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday is that Trudeau will appoint a fentanyl czar. Which isn’t nothing! But it’s a WHOLE lot less painful for Canada than a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods brought into the U.S. would have been.

What’s the lesson? Give the man something — anything — and he will make a deal. What he wants is the headline. The Truth Social post declaring victory/capitulation. He’s not big on the details.

Is that bad? In terms of America’s geopolitical interests, I can argue it both ways. Let me explain.