The Trump Administration Approved a Big Lithium Mine. A Top Officialβs Husband Profited. NYT: Science By:Lisa Friedman 3 January 2026 at 11:30 Karen Budd-Falen, the No. 3 at the Interior Department, didnβt disclose a $3.5 million water-rights contract between her husband and the developers of a Nevada mine, records show. Β© Rick Bowmer/Associated PressThe Lithium Nevada Corp. mining site in 2023.
Harold Hamm, Oklahoma Oil Tycoon, Allies With Trump to Reshape U.S. Energy NYT: Technology By:Eric Lipton and Rebecca F. Elliott 12 December 2025 at 05:00 Harold Hamm, an Oklahoma oil tycoon, has played a central role in reshaping energy policy by allying himself with President Trump. Β© Loren Elliott for The New York Times