**BUMPED by Request** History has a tendency to rhyme.

There is one move on the geopolitical chessboard that can put all of the U.S. and President Trump’s problems into an immediate checkmate.  However, the forces against the alignment are significant. If President Trump can end the Ukraine-Russia conflict and end the sanctions regime against Russia, everything changes.

Bringing Russian oil, gas and natural resources back into the global economy not only removes all leverage held by Iran, but it also wipes out intransigent resistance against the geopolitical reset and upends over a hundred years of EU and Commonwealth financial manipulation.

Not only does the Iran problem immediately shift, but so too does any/all leverage carried by Canada on behalf of London and the broader commonwealth structure.  With a U.S-Russia strategic economic alliance, something factually stated at the end of every message from Moscow, the dynamics of global structures is entirely different.  However, all the oppositional interests are well aware of the consequence and their actions reflect it.

The United States and Russia ended World War II.  A U.S-Russia alliance would change everything.

Who would benefit from such a strategic partnership?  The USA, Russia, India, China, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States (GCC), ASEAN countries and even Japan and the Caribbean, including Cuba.

Who would oppose such a seismic shift?  The U.K, specifically the financial constructs within the City of London, Canada, the EU-NATO states, all the Commonwealth countries and the Five-Eyes group (Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the U.K and the U.S. Intelligence Community).

Now we have appropriate context for the dynamic of the issue, along with context for exactly why all oppositional elements are conducting current activity.  A strategic partnership between the U.S. and Russia represents an existential threat to all the old systems – everything.

The first step would be solving the Ukraine-Russia conflict. So, let’s look at that problem specifically and how a transactional approach might frame the four corners of an end to it.

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent sits down with Fox News’ Lara Trump to discuss current events around complicated geopolitical issues.

Noted by Bessent is the growth of the U.S. economy, the growth of blue-collar wages, controlling inflation and overall MAGAnomic gains.  Secretary Bessent also emphasizes the U.S strategic relationship with China and the collaborative efforts of President Trump and Chairman Xi on creating stabilization in the overall global economy.  The Iran conflict and the removal of Iran oil is under control.  WATCH:

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Volkswagen is a case study in self-destruction as a result of EU ‘climate’ politics and German auto company decision-making.  The decision to chase climate policy created European legislation that set quotas, limits and fines on automakers who did not shift to electric vehicles.  German automakers then chose to purchase carbon credits from China, who then use those sales to further discount exported EVs into the German market.

Simultaneously, Volkswagen opened up operation in China allowing their technology to be captured by Chinese auto makers who turned around and duplicated the technology at a much lower price.  Once the manufacturing was at full speed, China stopped purchasing Volkswagen autos.

The partly state-owned German automaker Volkswagen announced today [SEE HERE] their survival as a company now requires the elimination of 100,000 jobs in Germany with the closure of plants in Emden, Zwickau, Hanover and the Audi site in Neckarsulm.  Volkswagen will not be the last German company to suffer this fate as Mercedes is now 20% owned by Chinese EV company Geely.

The German auto workers do not have a choice. They no longer have a solid consumer base for their vehicles, and China continues to export low price EVs into the European market.  Every euro in tariffs against Beijing is offset by the euros the auto companies spend purchasing Chinese carbon credits to avoid European fines. They cannot get out of the spiral.

GERMANY – The car company Volkswagen has approved controversial plans to shed 100,000 jobs in a battle for survival as it faces fierce competition from Chinese rivals.

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Amid the global opposition to a new American geopolitical framework there is some seriously sketchy stuff taking place.  My next article will outline something in the background that may put these comments by Jamieson Greer into an entirely new context.

In this interview with Fox News, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer outlines more specifics of what took place between the U.S. and Canada trade discussions.  Suffice to say, Mark Carney is up to some really sketchy stuff on behalf of his globalist allies, including the EU-NATO coalition.

Pay close attention to what Greer says in this interview and remember, there are trillions at stake. The source for this video is X.  WATCH:

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For those waiting patiently for the USMCA termination announcement, this is a potential indication and/or signal of pendency.

When President Trump and USTR Jamieson Greer send the official notification, a six-month countdown clock begins running.  As of right now there are no official statements that indicate the likely triggering, it’s a guess.  However, there are datapoints aligning in that direction.

[SOURCE]

No one outside our assembly has contemplated the termination of the USMCA (CUSMA) or what would occur in the aftermath; however, the Bank of Canada has gamed out the financial consequences, briefly in their forward guidance. The ramifications are significant, perhaps more significant than any other global trade announcement.

[…] “it more likely that a new shock or a combination of shocks could cause several vulnerabilities to crystalize at once. If this were to happen, these vulnerabilities could interact and reinforce each other. 

A cascading series of events could cause a sharp loss of investor confidence and lead to a spike in demand for liquidity or rapid asset sales. Funding markets could come under pressure, and stress could spread more broadly.” [SOURCE]

I suggest we keep a close eye on all U.S-Mexico discussions, as well as geopolitical leverage points that might surface in the U.S-Mexico relationship. My best guess is that once the U.S. and Mexico come to renewed terms on the ‘USMCA’ as a potential bilateral free trade agreement, that will be the moment when the planets are aligned for the termination notification.

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Canada is drowning in the Sea of China. The USA is the rescue swimmer.  When we reach the victim they thrash, try to climb on our back and pull us under. Survival for both now requires us to punch them in the face, back away and ask them if they prefer to drown. If not, listen to instructions.

The USMCA or CUSMA needs to be terminated!  That’s the punch in the nose.

Then a bilateral trade agreement can be negotiated.  That’s the swimmer giving the victim instructions.

If Canada chooses to drown in the Sea of China, so be it.

Then we build a regulatory wall against all Canadian products, banning the entry of Chinese component parts in EVERYTHING!

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For about a year CTH has predicted Chinese auto manufacturers BYD and GEELY would take over shuttered auto plants in Canada.  Specifically, six months ago, against the backdrop warning of Stellantis, Toyota and Honda telling the Canadian government that without the USMCA they would shift auto production to the USA, CTH predicted BYD and GEELY would make moves on those closed facilities.

The move by China is easy to predict.  Prime Minister Mark Carney has opened the door to Chinese EVs.  It would be in Beijing’s best interest to retool and take control of closed plants to begin mass production in North America.

Chinese EV manufacturing in Canada serves two purposes.

First, they would not be limited in production to the cars that remain in Canada as part of the agreement.  Factually, China would use their Canadian footprint as an export hub into Europe and save money on current distribution.   Remember, Europe is losing their auto manufacturing base to China and Germany is laying off 100,000+ auto workers.

Second, the appearance of Chinese auto manufacturing in North America would put pressure on the United States to permit their cheap EVs to enter the market.

Today Bloomberg is reporting exactly what we predicted.  Chinese automaker BYD (Build Your Dream) is asking local officials about the currently idled Stellantis auto plant.  Things are following a very predictable timeline.

BLOOMBERG – Chinese carmaker BYD Co. inquired about taking over an idled Stellantis NV plant in the Toronto suburbs, according to a local politician, signaling possible global interest in Canadian auto hubs in the midst of a trade battle with the US.

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Secretary Bessent notes in his prepared remarks that President Trump has called the nations who are engaged with Iran to request them to cease and desist.  That means Trump likely called Chairman Xi (China), President Putin (Russia), President Erdogan (Turkey) and President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan.

The video and transcript of Secretary Bessent’s remarks are below. Media questions begin at 7:50 of video. WATCH:

[TRANSCRIPT] – Good afternoon.

Today, at President Trump’s direction, the United States Treasury has begun Operation Economic Outcast – an unprecedented campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its enablers.

In the Second World War, D-Day marked the historic beginning of a campaign with our allies to target and drive the enemy from its positions, including those in third countries.

Today, in that same spirit, we are launching an economic onslaught against Iran’s financial connections around the globe. Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.

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An interesting soundbite from Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) President Mike Froman who distills down the main point of contention.  Essentially, the U.S. position is to demand a common trade approach toward China and the U.S. delegation gave Canada an ultimatum within the deal proposed, us or them.

If Mike Froman is correct, Mark Carney chose China. [X LINK] Video Below:

Mike Froman, former US Trade Rep on CNN yesterday afternoon “I think the new issue is that the Trump administration is pressing Canada, as well as other countries, to adopt a common approach vis a vis China, whether it’s a common external tariff or export controls, or ensuring… pic.twitter.com/RoTIXMZs3k

— cbcwatcher (@cbcwatcher) August 23, 2026

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There are a few that ankle bite about President Trump focusing on trade agreements as if it is foreign policy and not economic policy for America that is the #1 factor in our future.  I do not see value in such nonsense.  Economic security is national security – period.

After a day of Canadian government officials pushing a twisted narrative about their position regarding U.S-Canada trade, President Trump puts forth a simple truthful statement:

[SOURCE]

Additionally, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer talked to the New York Times about the current issues that created the fracture in negotiations. I will outline those aspects below.

CTH readers will note that in 2025 and again earlier this year, our prediction was the USMCA (CUSMA) would dissolve in/around early July, and the U.S. would ultimately end up withdrawing completely in/around August of 2026.  I would be remiss if I did not note current events are following a very predictable path.

Trade issues with Canada are irreconcilable against the entitlement that underpins the Canadian economic mindset.  You will note these “friction points” do not exist with Mexico; there is a cultural and brutally factual reason for this.

Canada feels entitled to maintain a trade relationship with the USA as if they are a state in our union.  However, just like the abusive mentality in any toxic relationship, Canada refuses any reciprocity.  Canada maintains protectionist tariffs, non-tariff barriers, quotas against U.S. goods and one-way restrictions on banking, finance, intellectual property and media. The latter part they call “cultural” protection.

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