Geopolitical Stance - Iran is open to negotiation but rejects being dictated to [1] - Iran's foreign minister is appealing to Donald Trump to return to the negotiating table [1]

Well, we absolutely need the House of Representatives back. Uh we need them to be able to vote. We need them right now to negotiate.I mean, the fact that Trump hasn't even sat down with Democratic leaders since this whole shutdown began on October 1st, not not once at all. And Speaker Johnson, I mean, I I'll be honest with you, it's it's painful watching him do his press conference day after day trying to come up with new excuses. Uh but the fact that you know he's now going to be you know he's resi you pre ...

Government Shutdown Standoff - House Speaker Mike Johnson hopes Senate Democrats will support turning the lights back on and debating subsidies [1] - Speaker Johnson claims he has nothing to negotiate with Democrats because he didn't include Republican priorities in the CR [2] - Speaker Johnson suggests Chuck Schumer wants political coverage [3] Negotiation Points - The speaker is now openly saying he wants to negotiate on Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year [4] - The debate has shifted from whether to negotiate on subsidies to when to negotiate on them [4] Current Status - Republicans and Democrats remain in the same positions as the end of the previous week [5] - The government shutdown is entering its second week with no clear signs of change [5]

Geopolitical Analysis of US-Russia Relations - The meeting between President Trump and President Putin is seen as a victory for Putin, regardless of the outcome, due to his status as an indicted war criminal meeting with the US President on US soil [2][3][4] - Concerns exist that Trump may pursue a deal that involves swapping or seeding Ukrainian territory, which would reward imperialism and set a dangerous precedent for international security [4][7] - Russia's goals in Ukraine include annexing four regions in addition to Crimea, establishing a subservient government in Kyiv, preventing NATO membership for Ukraine, and weakening the country's military capabilities [38][39] - Ukraine's stated goal is to restore its 1991 borders, including the four eastern regions and Crimea, but realistically, a deal might involve Ukraine agreeing to reunify the country only through peaceful means in exchange for security guarantees, ideally NATO membership [39][40][41][42] - NATO membership for Ukraine could freeze the borders and deter further Russian aggression, similar to the situation in divided Germany during the Cold War [42][43] Negotiation Dynamics and Potential Outcomes - Putin is a seasoned negotiator with extensive experience and knowledge, potentially giving him an advantage over Trump, who may lack detailed knowledge of the history and complexities of the conflict [15][16][17][18] - Putin may exploit Trump's desire to be seen as a dealmaker by offering economic incentives or concessions on other issues, such as arms control, to gain Trump's favor and potentially constrain Ukraine [21][30][37] - The presence of economic advisors in the Russian delegation suggests that Russia is aiming for a broader discussion of US-Russia relations and economic cooperation, potentially appealing to Trump's business-oriented mindset [22][23] - A one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin without notetakers or advisors is considered risky, as it could lead to disagreements about what was agreed upon and potentially result in a summit like Helsinki, which was widely criticized [19][47][49][50][53] - The lack of pre-negotiated deliverables for the summit is unusual, as presidential time is a valuable commodity that should be used strategically to achieve specific outcomes [56][57][59][60] Potential Risks and Concerns - The US's inconsistent stance on the war in Ukraine, particularly Trump's signaling of a potential pullback in military assistance, could embolden Putin and prolong the conflict [10][11] - There is concern that Trump may be tempted to make a deal that benefits Russia at the expense of Ukraine and international security, driven by his desire to be seen as a successful dealmaker [34][37] - Putin's tactics in meetings include being late, talking at length, staring intensely, and avoiding the need to cut a deal quickly, which can be advantageous in negotiations [24][25][26][29]

Well, I I think one of the reasons we haven't seen a dramatic spike in price increases yet has been in part because many of these tariffs have been suspended. Although many of them have gone on, 10% have gone on and a number of sectoral tariffs have gone on and some of the emergency tariffs have gone related to fentanyl and other things. So, there plenty of tariffs that have gone on, but the but the massive increases on the reciprocal side haven't been levied yet.So that's been part of it. Part of it has be ...

[Applause] I would like to tell you about a phone call that totally changed the way that I view conflict. It was with my 12-year-old grandson, Colon, and it happened about at the beginning of 2023. Within the first few minutes of that phone call, I realized that everything that I had learned about conflict, about about negotiating wasn't just for work.It was for family, for community, for everyday life. You see, a year earlier, I had sold that tech company that I had founded and I was CEO of for 14 years. I ...