Students on Thursday protested the president's attacks on Harvard, but at town hall meetings, defiance mixed with uncertainty as faculty members examined the toll of the White House's actions.
The signed memorandum of understanding was thin on details, and the White House did not comment. But President Trump has said he expects to sign a full minerals deal with Kyiv soon.
The Trump administration is on course for a potential constitutional clash with the judiciary branch, which has issued several rulings countering executive orders.
Lisa Murkowski, a longtime senator from Alaska and an independent voice in an increasingly tribal party, has been the rare Republican on Capitol Hill willing to criticize President Trump's actions.