"loading start up options"

Issue: I purchased a Samsung portable SSD T5 EVO 2TB drive for my phones storage device. It will not connect to the Mac. It seems to want to chance some sort of system file that only available to do so in the "start up" mode.

No matter what I try, my 2023 Apple Mac Mini M2 Pro running Sonoma 14:6:1

with Bluetooth apple mouse and keyboard into recovery mode. I have tried SHIFT/CMD/R...OPT/CMD/R...OPT/CMD/R. Also no keys pressed, just the power button, waited 10 seconds like some have suggested, still nothing! I have also tried connecting the keyboard with the factory cable to the Mac. No difference!

Any ideas as to what I might be doing wrong as I'm totally lost here.