President Donald Trump on Monday indicated that he wants to reach an agreement with Ukraine to gain access to the country’s rare earth materials as a condition for continuing U.S. support for its war against Russia.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump complained that the U.S. had sent more in military and economic assistance to Ukraine than its European partners, adding, “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 suggested that he’s received word from the Ukrainian government that they’d be willing to make a deal to give the U.S. access to the elements critical to the modern high-tech economy.

Trump, who had previously said he’d bring about a rapid end to the war, said talks are ongoing to bring the conflict to a close.

“We made a lot of progress on Russia, Ukraine,” Trump said. “We’ll see what happens. We’re going to stop that ridiculous war.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his team has been in contact with the administration, but those discussions are at a “general level,” and he in-person meetings will take place soon.

Judges again block Trump funding freeze

A federal judge on Monday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from imposing a sweeping freeze on trillions of dollars in federal grants and loans, adding to the pushback against an effort by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget.

The restraining order by the judge, Loren AliKhan of U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, came hours after the Justice Department told a federal judge in Rhode Island who issued a similar order Friday that the government interpreted his order as applying to all spending nationally, not just to funds for the states that brought that case.

Together, the signals from federal judges amounted to a two-fisted rebuke of the move by the budget office as an overreach that likely lacked legitimate authority.

While the order issued in the Rhode Island case left ambiguous whether the judge meant it to apply to just the states that brought the case or to all of as much as $3 trillion in funds affected by the freeze order, AliKhan’s order explicitly applied to all federal grants, loans and other spending to which it had been subject.

Wright confirmed as energy secretary

The Senate on Monday confirmed fossil fuel executive Chris Wright to serve as energy secretary, a key post to promote President Donald Trump’s efforts to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.

Wright, CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, has been one of the loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He says more fossil fuel production can lift people out of poverty around the globe and has promised to help Trump “unleash energy security and prosperity.”

The Senate approved his nomination, 59-38. Eight Democrats — including both senators from Wright’s home state of Colorado — voted in favor.

ACLU sues Trump over immigrant asylum rule

The ACLU sued the Trump administration for shutting down most avenues to asylum, a move that has thrown the immigration system into chaos, sowed confusion at the southern border and left thousands in Mexico who sought to enter the U.S. legally with few options.

Lawyers representing three nonprofits that provide services for asylum seekers at the southern border filed the suit at the District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday, arguing President Trump unconstitutionally overrode congressional statutes, violated federal laws and agreements meant to protect those fleeing persecution.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that it does not comment on impending legislation.

The White House defended the president’s actions: “President Trump was given a resounding mandate to end the disregard and abuse of our immigration laws and secure our borders. The Trump administration will continue to put Americans and America First,” said White House spokesman Kush Desai.

California sets aside $50M to counter Trump

California’s Democratic- dominated Assembly endorsed up to $50 million in funding Monday to defend the state’s progressive policies against challenges by the Trump administration.

The legislation sets aside $25 million for the state Department of Justice to fight legal battles against the federal government, and another $25 million for legal groups to defend immigrants facing possible deportation.

The proposals won approval on party-line votes.

“We do not trust President Donald Trump,” Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas said before the votes, describing Trump’s administration as “out of control” and a threat to constitutional rights.

Republican leader James Gallagher called the plan a political stunt that sapped away time from dealing with wildfires and the soaring cost of living in the state. Rather than getting ready for a fight with Trump, “we could be talking about how we could make things more affordable,” he said.

N.Y. to allow teen gender care to continue

New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday told hospitals that they would be violating state law if they stop offering gender-affirming care for people under age 19 in response to an executive order from President Donald Trump aimed at curtailing federal funding for such treatments.

In a letter, James, a Democrat, told health care facilities that refusing to provide the treatments would violate New York’s anti-discrimination laws.

“Regardless of the availability of federal funding, we write to further remind you of your obligations to comply with New York State laws,” her letter reads.

Trump, a Republican, last week signed an executive order that directed agencies to take steps to make sure that hospitals receiving federal research and education grants “end the chemical and surgical mutilation of children.” The language in the order — using words such as “maiming,” “sterilizing” and “mutilation” — contradicts what is typical for gender-affirming care in the United States.

N.Y. shields doctors from out-of-state suits

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday signed a bill to shield the identities of doctors who prescribe abortion medications, days after a physician in the state was charged with prescribing abortion pills to a pregnant minor in Louisiana.

The new law, which took effect immediately, allows doctors to request for their names to be left off abortion pill bottles and instead list the name of their health care practices on medication labels.

The move came after a grand jury in West Baton Rouge Parish, La., indicted New York Dr. Margaret Carpenter and her company on Friday for allegedly prescribing abortion pills online to a pregnant minor.

The case appears to be the first instance of criminal charges against a doctor accused of sending abortion pills to another state, at least since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Author Neil Gaiman sued for sexual assault

A woman from New Zealand has filed three civil lawsuits against best-selling British author Neil Gaiman and his wife, accusing Gaiman of repeatedly sexually assaulting her while she was working as the couple’s babysitter and nanny.

Scarlett Pavlovich filed the lawsuits in federal court in Wisconsin, Massachusetts and New York on Monday.

According to the lawsuits, Gaiman’s wife, Amanda Palmer, invited Pavlovich to the couple’s home on Waiheke Island. Pavlovich began running errands for the couple, babysitting their son and helping with chores, eventually becoming the couple’s nanny.

Representatives for Gaiman and Palmer did not respond to requests for comment Monday and online court records did not list attorneys representing them in the suits.

— From news services