MP Materials secured investment as Donald Trump sought to counter China and take a new approach to national defence

The Pentagon pulled senior Defense Department officials from the Aspen Security Forum on Monday, a day before the four-day summit in Colorado was set to begin. Why it matters: The bipartisan national security forum has attracted Republican and Democratic administration officials for years.

The Pentagon abruptly pulled several of its top officials from speaking this week at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, saying Monday the forum’s organizers do not share values with the Defense Department.

The Trump administration is pushing the Pentagon, IRS and other federal agencies to rapidly adopt AI tools to improve efficiency, an idea championed by Elon Musk.

The Department of Defense led by Secretary Pete Hegseth made a deal with a U.S. mining company to secure the military's needs for rare earth minerals.

For years, Republican and Democratic administrations have dispatched civilian Pentagon officials and military commanders to the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado.

Senior Department of Defense officials will no longer be participating at the Aspen Security Forum because their values do not align with the values of the DoD.'

The department's press secretary said it "has no interest in legitimizing an organization that has invited … architects of chaos abroad and failure at home."

The Army is working on new tech, drones, autonomy, better decision-making, and more to deter and prepare for conflict with China.