The Point - Sunday May 4, 2025

Most people are misreading the tea leaves this week. The rare-earth minerals deal between the U.S. and Ukraine isn’t just about trade. It’s about leverage.

Trump, in his usual braggadocious style, has claimed Ukraine is taking advantage of America — and yet, this week, he secured a deal that tells a different story. At a glance, it may look like simple resource diplomacy. It’s not.

The Point to watch isn’t the contract. It’s the standoff. Two men. Two sharpshooters.

Trump and Putin.

One forcing the other to the table — on America’s terms. This move bypasses NATO, secures U.S. economic interests in Ukraine, and sends a clear message:

We’ll defend what matters without getting dragged into every alliance drama.

This is America. We decide who gets to talk. It’s rare-gold level geopolitics and I love to see it. This is true leadership.

This week, Trump made two moves with one signature:

1. He diminished NATO’s importance.

While over half its members still don’t meet defense spending goals, the U.S. covers $997B of the NATO bill. The rest of the alliance combined? $513B.

• America’s GDP: $29.1T.
• All other NATO nations combined: $25.1T.

The math speaks: Europe needs to match the energy — or quiet down.

2. He flipped the Putin narrative.

For a man long accused of being soft on Russia, this was a surgical strike. Trump is restoring deterrence — not through war, but through pressure.

If Putin won’t come to the table, Trump’s already building the next century without him.

Point: Trump +1.

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