The Hill reports Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick "an idiot" during a dispute over preparations for a rare-earth metals transaction under the US-Ukraine natural resources agreement signed April 30, 2025. Lutnick accused Bessent of "sabotaging" the deal; Bessent reportedly called Lutnick's proposal "a shit deal." The agreement gives the US priority purchase rights on minerals extracted in Ukraine and establishes a 50/50 joint investment fund to jointly man

The Hill reports Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick "an idiot" during a dispute over preparations for a rare-earth metals transaction under the US-Ukraine natural resources agreement signed April 30, 2025. Lutnick accused Bessent of "sabotaging" the deal; Bessent reportedly called Lutnick's proposal "a shit deal." The agreement gives the US priority purchase rights on minerals extracted in Ukraine and establishes a 50/50 joint investment fund to jointly manage and finance development.