Look under almost every element of President Trump's second-term foreign policy — from the trade war with China, to peace in Ukraine, to annexing Greenland — and you'll find critical minerals.
Why it matters: China has the U.S. in a bind when it comes to supplies of rare earths and other scarce minerals, and President Xi Jinping has proved he's willing to squeeze. That's why Trump was so intent on signing a one-year trade truce with Beijing, and why he's scouring the world for alternative sources.
America's national parks — partially open despite the government shutdown — have become playgrounds for unsupervised visitors who are wreaking havoc on wildlife and fragile ecosystems.
Why it matters: President Trump's decision to keep the parks open against the wishes of conservationists risks causing permanent damage to some of America's most beloved locations.
