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Rare Earth Minerals Affected by China Export Ban Used in EVs, Green Energy, and Military Tech

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China has restricted the export of several crucial rare earth minerals to the United States in response to President Donald Trump’s tariff increases.

The restrictions come up short of a total ban, but they will probably slow the delivery of minerals needed by defense, energy, and electronics companies.

The term “rare earth minerals” is sometimes used broadly to refer to all valuable or unusual minerals, but in fact it refers to a specific list of 17 metallic elements. Fifteen of them are lanthanides, meaning they occupy a specific region of the periodic table of the elements that begins with lanthanum (atomic number 57). The lanthanides all share similar atomic structure and chemical behavior, so the grouping is not arbitrary.

The other two rare earth minerals are scandium and yttrium. They are collectively known as “rare earths” simply because the scientists who first discovered them believed they must be rare in nature, as they were difficult to identify. For example, the name of lanthanum comes from a Greek word that means “hidden,” and it was discovered by a chemist who was studying strange impurities in another mineral.

Explorers over the past 150 years discovered that some of the “rare earths” can actually be found in abundance by digging into the Earth’s crust. Many of those abundant deposits are under the control of Communist China – affording China a near-monopoly on processing and refining these metals. (Read more from “Rare Earth Minerals Affected by China Export Ban Used in EVs, Green Energy, and Military Tech” HERE)

Trump White House Plans Bold Return to Faith for Holy Week After Biden’s Trans Day of Remembrance

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In a striking contrast to the often secular tone of past administrations, the White House under President Donald Trump is planning an “extraordinary” Holy Week, emphasizing Easter’s spiritual and cultural significance. As the nation prepares to mark the holiest days on the Christian calendar, Trump ensures the observance receives the reverence it deserves—offering a clear nod to the values of faith, tradition, and religious liberty that remain central to millions of Americans.

“President Trump promised millions of Christians across the country that he would create a White House Faith Office, and he delivered on that promise,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. “The White House Faith Office has put together an extraordinary weeklong celebration for Holy Week ahead of Easter Sunday.”

According to the new White House Faith Office, President Trump will attend several events to celebrate and honor the holiest day of the year leading up to Easter. The president is scheduled to mark Holy Week through various events, including a special video message, hosting a pre-Easter dinner, and an Easter service for White House staff.

“The newly created White House Faith Office is grateful to share that President Trump will honor and celebrate Holy Week and Easter with the observance it deserves,” faith director of the White House Faith Office Jennifer Korn said, adding that it “will be a special time of prayer and worship at the White House to be shared with Americans celebrating the week leading up to Resurrection Sunday.” (Read more from “Trump White House Plans Bold Return to Faith for Holy Week After Biden’s Trans Day of Remembrance” HERE)

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Sarah Palin Responds to Kristi Noem Threat, “Or What?”

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President Trump’s U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem continues to be harassed by political pundits on both sides of the aisle.

Some have critiqued the ensembles she wears when she joins law enforcement officers (MAGA star Megyn Kelly called Noem “Agent Cosplay”) and for posing with immigrants deported from the U.S. to a mega prison in El Salvador (Ret. Vice Admiral Michael Franken said Noem violated the 4th Geneva Conventions).

Former Alaska Governor and 2008 GOP Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin this week objected to Noem declaration that all Americans will need a Real ID to fly.

Noem announced on X: “Starting May 7, you will need a Real ID to fly. Real IDs make identification harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists. If you plan to fly, make sure you get a Real ID so you won’t be denied from your flight or face travel delays!”

(Read more from “Sarah Palin Responds to Kristi Noem Threat, “Or What?”” HERE)

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‘Will Not Surrender’: Harvard Scoffs at Trump Admin’s Demands to Address Antisemitism

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Harvard University announced Monday it will not agree to the Trump administration’s demands to address antisemitism on campus.

The Department of Education sent a letter to the Ivy League school April 11 demanding the school agree to a host of reforms, including adjusting and enforcing disciplinary processes, improving screening of international students for “hostile” views, and auditing “programs with egregious records of antisemitism.” Harvard cited academic freedom concerns and free speech rights in its announcement rejecting the Department of Education’s demands.

“We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement,” Harvard President Alan Garber wrote in the announcement. “The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.”

The Department of Education, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the General Services Administration initiated in late March a review of more than $8.7 billion worth of grants to Harvard after a September investigation by the House Committee on Education and the Workforce found that “Harvard failed” to discipline students who engaged in antisemitic campus protests. Harvard demonstrators disrupted classes, occupied a campus building, and set up a multiday encampment.

At the time of the committee’s investigation, none of the 68 students referred for discipline action regarding their role in the spring semester encampment were suspended. (Read more from “‘Will Not Surrender’: Harvard Scoffs at Trump Admin’s Demands to Address Antisemitism” HERE)

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Trump to Declare Martial Law on April 20? Democrats in Full Panic Mode Over Absurd Conspiracy

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The Left is melting down once again—and this time, it’s over a tinfoil-hat-level conspiracy theory that President Donald Trump is preparing to declare martial law on April 20.

The same people who spent years mocking “QAnon” are now pushing a full-blown BlueAnon fantasy of their own.

The source of this hysteria? None other than James Carville, the aging Democratic strategist who’s apparently desperate to stay relevant.

On a recent episode of Politics War Room, Carville was asked whether Trump was trying to provoke enough unrest to declare martial law and suspend the 2026 elections.

“You’re so correct to be concerned about this… It’s getting worse by the day. It is not going to stop getting worse. And I would be, we ought to be, on high, high alert.”

The left’s panic stems from a deliberate misreading of Trump’s January 20 executive order, which declared a national emergency at the southern border and directed the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to submit a report by April 20. (Read more from “Trump to Declare Martial Law on April 20? Democrats in Full Panic Mode Over Absurd Conspiracy” HERE)

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Trump Authorizes Military Mission Along Southern Border To Repel Migrant ‘Invasions’

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President Donald Trump signed a memorandum authorizing a “military mission for sealing the southern border of the United States and repelling invasions,” giving the U.S. military the ability to occupy public land along the border in order to secure it.

The directive, released late Friday, allows the military to use federal lands for military activities, including constructing border barriers and using “detection and monitoring equipment” to deter would-be migrant invaders.

“Our southern border is under attack from a variety of threats. The complexity of the current situation requires that our military take a more direct role in securing our southern border than in the recent past,” Trump’s memorandum states. Friday’s memo cited an executive order Trump signed on day one of his second term, in which he “assigned the Armed Forces of the United States the military missions of repelling the invasion and sealing the United States southern border from unlawful entry to maintain the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security of the United States.”

The memorandum directs the Defense, Interior, Agriculture, and Homeland Security secretaries to grant the Defense Department jurisdiction over federal lands along the southern border so they can be used for military activity. The Department of Defense will have the authority to designate “National Defense Areas” on such land, the memo directs. (Read more from “Trump Authorizes Military Mission Along Southern Border To Repel Migrant ‘Invasions’” HERE)

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FBI: Teen Murdered Parents in ‘Extremist’ Plot to Fund Assassination of President Trump

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A 17-year-old Wisconsin teen allegedly killed his parents in pursuit of the “financial means and autonomy” to assassinate President Trump, the FBI revealed.

Court documents show the 17-year-old was part of a “satanic cult” which has “strong anti-Judaism anti-Christian and anti-western ideologies,” WISN reported Friday.

Investigators also found a manifesto which “described a call to assassinate President Trump, make and detonate bombs and carry out other terrorist attacks.” (Read more from “FBI: Teen Murdered Parents in ‘Extremist’ Plot to Fund Assassination of President Trump” HERE)

Comedian Theo Von Backs Trump’s Tariff Plan: ‘If We Don’t Try This, I Think It’s a Wrap’

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Comedian and podcaster Theo Von made a now or never pitch in support of President Donald Trump’s wide-ranging tariffs, crediting Trump for attempting to steer America off of a path that has left whole swaths of American towns and cities “empty” and “boarded up.”

“The goal of tariffs is, if it costs more for people to bring their products in then they will build them here,” Von said, adding “So it’s kind of a longterm play. It’s going to take a while.”

“If we don’t try this, then I think it’s a wrap. On this comedy tour, we’ve been to probably the top 200 cities, like size-wise in America. Maybe even more than that. And a lot of them, there’s nothing there. It’s empty downtowns. It’s boarded up,” Von continued. “And so you start to be like, nothing’s going to change. There’s nothing coming that’s going to make that better.”

President Trump is attempting to decouple America from China and ultimately re-shore manufacturing and major supply chains, out of Asia and back to the U.S. His strategy is still in its early days but the White House says over a hundred countries have already come to the negotiating table.

On Sunday, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett told CNN’s State of the Union anchor Jake Tapper the Trump administration is currently negotiating trade policy with 130 countries.

(Read more from “Comedian Theo Von Backs Trump’s Tariff Plan: ‘If We Don’t Try This, I Think It’s a Wrap’” HERE)

Another Day, Another Alleged Would-Be Trump Assassin Charged

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Less than a week after a horrifying survey found more than half of self-identified leftists believe killing President Donald Trump would be justifiable, a Pennsylvania man has been charged with threatening to murder the president and other U.S. officials.

Shawn Monper, 32, of Butler — the same Pennsylvania community where Trump came within a fraction of an inch of being assassinated last July — faces federal charges of making threats to assault and murder Trump, DOGE advisor and Tesla founder Elon Musk, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and others, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

“I want to applaud the outstanding and courageous investigative work of the FBI and the Butler Township Police Department, who thankfully identified and apprehended this individual before he could carry out his threats against President Trump’s life and the lives of other innocent Americans,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a press release.

Monper, who allegedly took to YouTube as “Mr. Satan,” made a series of threatening statements between Jan. 15 and last weekend, according to the criminal complaint. On Tuesday, the FBI National Threat Operations Section (NTOS) “received an emergency disclosure,” the Justice Department said. A subsequent federal investigation determined “Mr. Satan” was residing at Monper’s residence, according to the DOJ.

‘We Just Need to Start Killing People’

Monper allegedly “sought and obtained a firearms permit shortly following President Trump’s inauguration.” In February, federal officials said he commented on his YouTube account, “I have bought several guns and been stocking up on ammo since Trump got in office.” (Read more from “Another Day, Another Alleged Would-Be Trump Assassin Charged” HERE)

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Trump Reveals Results of Doctor’s Report: ’Good Heart, a Good Soul — a Very Good Soul’

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President Donald Trump took a jab at former President Joe Biden when revealing that he took a cognitive test during his physical examination and claimed he “got every answer right.”

While speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump said he thought he “did well” on his physical examination. When asked by a reporter if he received “suggestions or advice” on anything he should change, Trump said he received a “little bit,” but that “overall” he felt he is “in very good shape.”

“Little bit, but overall I think I’m in very — I felt I was in very good shape,” Trump said. “Good heart, a good soul — a very good soul. And I took — I wanted to be a little different than Biden. I took a cognitive test, and I don’t know what to tell you other than I got every answer right.”

The revelation from Trump, who is currently 78, comes as the White House revealed in February 2024, that Biden did not receive a cognitive test during his annual physical examination. (Read more from “Trump Reveals Results of Doctor’s Report: ’Good Heart, a Good Soul — a Very Good Soul’” HERE)