It is transparently obvious now that Canada is going to rely on UniParty (Corporate) opposition to President Trump in the dissolution of the USMCA (CUSMA) in favor of two distinctly different bilateral trade agreements; one with Canada and one with Mexico.

A bilateral trade negotiation between the United States and Canada would be devastating to the interests of the Canadian government.  Particularly after the Venezuela operation and new strategic relationship with the United States, Canada has almost zero points of leverage to negotiate anything similar to their current exploitative trade position.

Canada is going to rely on congress to stop Trump from forcing reciprocity in the bilateral discussions. However, as a positive indicator that President Trump will factually have congressional support for the elimination of the USMCA, Democrat Senator Ruben Gallego has written a letter to President Trump requesting a comprehensive review. [LETTER HERE]

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This is a key Senate democrat who notes the problem.  One of Gallego’s top points of concern is the loophole that Canada uses to assemble Chinese component parts into finished goods for tariff free distribution into the United States.

Ever since President Trump won the 2024 election, Mexico has been taking proactive independent action to block Chinese component goods. But Canada has done the opposite and begun to enhance their trade relationship with China to take even more Chinese component and finished goods.

Gallego writes to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer from the position of wanting to increase wages and enhance jobs in both Mexico and the USA, growing both economies. However, Gallego’s advocacy simultaneously bolsters why the USMCA should be dissolved and also puts Canada at a distinct disadvantage.

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The fact that Team Russia and Team USA would be discussing a strategic economic alliance on the issue of energy is not a surprise to those who watched both President Putin and President Trump outline that same content discussion in Alaska last August.  However, given the current conflict with Iran and the escalating oil price issue, Russia and the USA discussing Russian oil capacity and U.S. sanctions therein takes on a new angle.

It has been obvious that domestic U.S. politics, in combination with the Russia-Ukraine war, has impeded President Trump from organizing a strategic reset with Russia pulling away from historic conflicts.  However, CTH is also clear-eyed on the longer-term ramifications for Eastern Europe when contrast with Putin’s ambitions to fix what he perceives as prior Russian Federation mistakes regarding the West (more on that at the end).

As noted in social media exchanges from Witkoff and Dmitriev, the discussion was productive.

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All indications of this meeting give the appearance of less focus on progress in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, and a higher focus on current economic conditions -created by the Iran conflict- that could be enhanced with cooperation between the U.S. and Russia. {GO DEEP BACKGROUND}

According to Kirill Dmitriev, Russian special presidential envoy for investment and economic cooperation with foreign countries and director general of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), relayed through the Russian News Agency (TASS), “he visited the US upon orders from Russian President Vladimir Putin, taking part in a meeting of the heads of a working group on economic cooperation between the two countries.”

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During an impromptu press availability last night, President Trump was asked about potential Iranian sleeper cells or groups sympathetic to Iran that are active on U.S. soil.

Obviously, the threat from groups and individuals sympathetic to Iran creates an increased need for the Dept of Homeland Security and FBI to operate enhanced domestic surveillance, an unfortunate outcome that further enhances the need for FISA(702) authorities.

When this potential terror threat is combined with the millions of people who crossed the U.S. southern border during the Biden administration, the Palantir project within Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), the need for rapid and aggressive deportation tracking and the Dept of Homeland Security (DHS), we can reasonably be assured that domestic surveillance will expand.

On the positive side of the issue, recent reports highlight Iranian citizens helping U.S/Israeli drones to target Iran regime officers on the streets in Tehran which has caused the regime police to withdraw from roadblocks and checkpoints.  [Well-sourced data here] This type of operation empowers the voices of the citizen opposition to organize.  WATCH:

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Tanker ships in the Gulf region continue to be targeted by various Iranian munitions including air and sea drones.  Three tanker ships were hit today.  Secretary of Energy Chris Wright appears on Fox News to discuss the issues with Iran and the decision to release oil from the SPR.  WATCH:

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright released the following statement regarding the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR):

“Earlier today, 32 member nations of the International Energy Agency unanimously agreed to President Trump’s request to lower energy prices with a coordinated release of 400 million barrels of oil and refined products from their respective reserves.

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Today, President Trump is travelling to Kentucky to deliver remarks at Verst Logistics in Hebron Kentucky to promote and emphasize the MAGAnomic manufacturing revitalization.  The anticipated start time for his remarks is approximately 4:30pm ET, with livestream links below:

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President Trump answers questions from the media as he departs the White House for Ohio and Kentucky.  The majority of the questions surrounded Iran and the SAVE America Act.  WATCH:

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President Trump’s U.S. Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, recently sat down with Greta Van Susteren to outline the point of diplomatic discussions with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi when things broke down.

The Witkoff explanation is interesting as he outlines Iran’s unwillingness to even consider a cease to their ballistic missile program as part of the expanded security talks.  According to Envoy Witkoff, Foreign Minister Araghchi was intransigent on several key points of concern; even becoming loud and aggressive as he was pushed to explain why seeking ballistic missiles would be needed.

It’s an interesting background perspective that gives context to the decision that President Trump ultimately reached.  WATCH: 

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Despite the Trump administration pushing maximum transparency, there is a lot of noise and wrong information surrounding the U.S. military operation ‘Epic Fury’ against Iran.  Much of the false or incorrect information is coming from consultants to sell their opinions to corporate media.

Whenever the fog of war surrounds military activity that takes place against national security information, it is best practice to listen to the leadership who control and command the actual activity being reported on.  CENTCOM Commander Bradley Cooper provides updates on strategic missions.  The information is shared via CENTCOM’s X Account.  WATCH:

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune again reiterated there are not enough Senate votes to get the SAVE America Act to the status of a ‘talking filibuster.’ “The votes aren’t there for a talking filibuster,” Thune said Tuesday. “It’s just a reality.”

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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Dan Caine hold a press briefing from the Pentagon with updates on Operation Epic Fury.  “The First Ten Days” recapped.

General Dan Caine noted CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper will continue delivering intermediate updates.  Caine also outlined how targeting of the Iranian missile systems continues as a priority along with the systematic destruction of the Iranian navy assets.  Both aspects of the operation continue having maximum success and impact.

General Caine also noted how the third objective of dismantling Iran’s infrastructure systems to mechanize war are intensifying.  “We are moving deeper into Iran’s industrial base,” General Caine noted.   Missile attack launches from inside Iran have dropped 90%, and one-way drone launches have dropped more than 80%.  50 Iranian vessels have been destroyed by U.S. targeting.

As Iran’s treat capacity to target vessels continues to be degraded, the Strait of Hormuz begins to open.

US West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil Futures with April 2026 Expiry, traded at $89.89 per barrel, down by 5.2%. This oil benchmark touched an intraday low of 84.45 and recorded an overall decline of 29.3% from $119.43 per barrel level that was touched on March 9th. Yesterday, US WTI plunged nearly 18%.

Brent Crude Oil Price: Brent crude has nosedived by nearly 26.2% and touched an intraday low of $88.10 per barrel. This is compared to $119.50 per barrel mark it hit on March 9. Yesterday, the price dropped nearly 9%. {SOURCE}

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