In this episode of Frontlines, Shaun Haney of RealAgriculture and Jacob Shapiro of the Bespoke Group navigate a whirlwind of geopolitical developments—from US-China trade gestures and Iran-Israel brinkmanship, to a game-changing drone strike in Russia. As always, they separate noise from signal and offer perspective for what matters next.
In the video above or the podcast download below, you’ll hear:
- Media vs. reality in U.S. headlines — Shapiro calls out sensationalism around isolated events like the L.A. riots and its distortion of priorities
- U.S.-China trade “handshake” deal. Why the deal is more theatre than substance, and how it may backfire long-term for U.S. leverage
- Trump’s economic team dynamics. Are there any cooler heads?
- Japan trade frustration
- Five rounds of talks yield agreement on "absolutely nothing,” highlighting a widening gap with key allies.
- The genie is out of the bottle on monetary shifts, Shapiro says
- Iran-Israel conflict outlook. Shapiro given decent odds for a chance of diplomacy, but warns Israel could successfully keep the pot stirred
- It's important to step back and think things through on this one
- Middle East envoy under pressure
- Drone warfare and future conflict
- Ukraine’s $600 drone attack on Russian airfields may reshape defence doctrine faster than any G7 summit
- India-U.S. friction and Canadian opportunity
- Trump’s diplomatic missteps may open space for Canada to strengthen ties with India
- Is Carney playing this right?
- The “Golden Dome” missile defence idea
- There are echoes of Reagan’s Star Wars with questionable utility in a drone-saturated world
- What to watch next: U.S. economic indicators, Iran diplomacy signals, and whether the China deal spawns more made-for-TV trade wins
