Trump: US ‘Locked & Loaded’ for ‘Massive Attack’ | Balance of Power 07/24/2026

Geopolitical and Military Developments - The United States and Iran exchanged strikes amid ongoing hostilities and diplomatic efforts involving key regional players like Israel [1] - President Trump considered a massive military attack on Iran while concurrently engaging in talks with officials including Vice President JD Vance, Jared Kushner, and Steve Witkoff [3][5][7] - Strategic military assets such as a B-1 bomber were deployed, and discussions arose regarding potential target expansions into civilian infrastructure like power plants and bridges [11][44][46] - The U.S. military enforced a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in forces firing on a merchant vessel attempting to breach the blockade [86][87] Trade and Tariff Policies - The U.S. administration implemented revamp tariff strategies following a Supreme Court ruling, imposing duties ranging from 10% to 12.5% on imports from approximately 60 economies based on forced labor provisions [2][8][54] - Bloomberg Economics estimated that the net real increase from the new tariff implementation would be a modest 0.1% when accounting for exemptions such as food and USMCA items [62][80] - The U.S. initiated a Section 301 investigation targeting the European Union in response to multi-billion dollar regulatory fines levied against American technology firms including Apple, Meta, Google, and Amazon [51][52] Financial Markets and Corporate Sector - The S&P 500 experienced a volatile week with 10 of 11 major sectors finishing in the green, led by real estate and materials, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 declined by 1% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.5% [35] - Crude oil prices fluctuated between $90 and $100 per barrel, hovering near $98 amid escalating Middle East tensions, while bond yields fell across the curve [35][36][69] - Paramount and Warner Bros. paused a massive media merger valued at 110 billion dollars, which carried a 7 billion dollar termination fee and ongoing costs of 7 million dollars a day to shareholders [36][37] - SpaceX shares closed at 115 dollars per share, marking its lowest level since its initial public offering the previous month [34]