Our feature story this morning, by Talea Gregory, dives into the trade imbalance on food and agricultural products and why the world doesn’t want to import U.S. food. As much as President Trump speaks of all trade imbalances as other nations ripping America off, there are legitimate reasons to avoid some of the food being produced by American companies.

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Trump’s first foreign-policy win?

A deal is struck, and it seems like a win-win for America and Ukraine: The two agreed yesterday to establish the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund to jointly invest in Ukraine’s critical minerals, oil and gas resources, our In Brief reports.

It seems an impressive deal by the Trump administration, especially considering all the pro-Putin rhetoric that made it seem Ukraine would have to make all the concessions. This deal could secure Ukraine from further Russian aggression, help it rebuild from a devastating war, and provide economic benefits for America.

• The agreement (pending Ukrainian parliament approval) gives the U.S. preferential access to Ukraine’s vast reserves of rare earth elements, graphite, titanium and lithium—materials essential for renewable energy, military technology and electronics.
• It is structured as a 50/50 partnership, with Ukraine retaining ownership of its resources and both nations equally managing the fund, which will reinvest profits into Ukrainian reconstruction for a decade.
• It creates no debt obligations for Kyiv and includes provisions for new U.S. assistance, such as air defense systems.

Despite lacking explicit U.S. security guarantees—a key Ukrainian demand—the agreement signals a commitment to a “free, sovereign and prosperous Ukraine,” according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Contrary to some of President Trump’s recent comments, the deal helpfully acknowledges that Russia was responsible for launching a “full-scale invasion.”

President Trump intends for this to be the foundation for a larger peace deal, and he is still pressuring Ukraine to concede some of its land to Russia. Still, the promise of the U.S. and Ukraine working so close together puts pressure on Vladimir Putin.

Obviously, huge hurdles remain in executing the agreement, but this is the closest hope to an end to the war we have seen in three years. Has Trump been working the “art of the deal” all along? We will see how this develops, but we view it with cautious optimism.

Arabs resort to a new weapon against Jews—fire: Israel declared a state of emergency today as wildfires surround Jerusalem, our In Brief reports. About 5,000 acres have been torched, and several Jerusalem suburbs had to evacuate as Israel canceled yesterday’s Memorial Day and today’s Independence Day celebrations.

Earlier fires in central Israel flared up last weekend and were contained after a day and a half.

Recently, Arabic-language social media posts encouraging people to start fires in Israel have been proliferating. Yesterday police detained three suspects for arson. Israel’s domestic intelligence agency reportedly joined the investigation, suggesting that authorities suspect terrorism. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said:

[Arsonists] should be treated as arch-terrorists for all intents and purposes, who tried to murder thousands of civilians, and accordingly, they should be brought to justice in the full severity of the law.

It is remarkable how much success Israelis have had in staving off Arab terror attacks in recent years—apart from Oct. 7, 2023. But how do you deal with people so intent on hurting Jews they are willing to burn everything down? Especially if they are not confined to Gaza or the West Bank—what if they are Arab-Israeli citizens? Even one person can do enormous damage. What do you do—outlaw matches?

Trumpet publisher Gerald Flurry has for years pointed to Israel’s efforts to make peace with the Palestinians being the prophesied “Judah’s wound.” Apparently, terrorists are even willing to let the Holy Land burn if it means killing Jews. Israel is still fighting Palestinian terrorism in Gaza. But the spread of Jerusalem’s fires suggests the pain of the wound can hit much closer to home.

IN OTHER NEWS

China is extending an olive branch to Europe, lifting sanctions on European parliamentarians to facilitate trade talks with the EU. It is eager to find ways to limit the damage caused by Trump’s tariff policies. Peter van Halteren shows how this burgeoning relationship fulfills a biblical prophecy.

Japan and the Philippines draw closer: At a meeting Tuesday between Japan’s prime minister and the Philippines’ president, the two countries agreed to strengthen security and economic ties. They aim to counter regional tensions caused by China. In the end, prophecy says they will all end up on the same team.

Trump revived the National Garden of American Heroes project yesterday, which he launched in 2020 but the Biden administration paused. The National Endowment for the Humanities is calling for artists to create statues of notable Americans celebrating the nation’s history and values, aiming for completion by July 4, 2026. It is nice to see an effort to build statues instead of tearing them down.