Among the bombshells coming out of the Trump administration in its first month in office is the president’s demand that Ukraine pledge $500 billion worth of mineral resources to the United States in return for American support.

Trump says the proposed arrangement is intended to help offset more than $180 billion in US aid delivered to Kyiv since 2022.

U.S. officials have pressured Ukraine to provide access to its rare earth minerals as a form of compensation for aid.