Today, disparate Trump policies —more muscular American diplomacy, less soft power, higher tariffs, and the quest for cheap energy — are being tested together in Venezuela. The pro-Russia, pro-China, and pro-Iran far left Maduro regime in Caracas has long been a thorn in the side of the United States in the often-neglected Latin American theater.
Category Archives: United States
Make America Great At Energy Storage
The Trump Administration is skeptical about green energy, to put it mildly. The remarks of U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright at CERAWeek 2025, the most influential energy conference in the U.S., summarized one of the key reasons, “Beyond the obvious scale and cost problems, there is simply no physical way that wind, solar, and batteries could
The U.S. Needs To Drill Smarter, Not Harder
The Trump Administration is escalating military operations against the Houthi pirates and terrorists and focusing on the future of the Iranian nuclear program. If hostilities in the Middle East are affecting oil production and transportation, especially in the Persian Gulf, and specifically in the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices may be affected. Simultaneously, the White
Putin’s Trolling: A Strategic Minerals Offer For Trump
Just as President Volodymyr Zelensky was preparing to arrive in Washington, D.C., on Friday, February 28th, to sign an unprecedented US-Ukraine agreement on strategic minerals, Vladimir Putin came up with a proposal of his own, involving joint development with the U.S. of rare earth metals, aluminum, and hydropower in Russia. It’s trolling of the 99th
How LNG Exports Will Define U.S. Energy Policy Under Trump 2.0
President Donald Trump’s guarantee to supply liquefied natural gas to Europe furthers his broader push for U.S. “energy dominance,” marking a stark reversal of the Biden Administration’s pause on the approval of new LNG export infrastructure permits. While Trump’s approach to energy policy correctly identifies LNG as a growth driver and an essential geopolitical lever, expanding LNG exports
Trump’s Tariffs On Canada Put US Energy Security At Risk
In a far-reaching move set to take effect on March 4th, President Donald J. Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all foreign imports from Canada, a close ally and the US’ largest energy trading partner, as well as on Mexico. Additionally, a 25% tariff was announced on imported steel and aluminum. Canada is the largest supplier to the
Digital Transformation Can Enable The U.S. To Fight The Shadow Economy
On his inauguration day, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order entitled “Designating cartels and other organizations as foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists.” This illustrates the new administration’s emphasis on the global fight against organized crime, with a primary focus on Latin America. In addition to historically known avenues of illicit revenue
Russia and Iran’s Defense Pact is a Challenge Trump Must Confront
Russia and Iran signed a mutual defense and security cooperation pact on Jan. 17 — just days before President Trump’s inauguration. Both nations are primary opponents of the U.S., demonstrated by Russia’s war against Ukraine and Iran’s attempts to assassinate Trump, its regular proclamations of “Death to America, death to Israel!” and its backing of terrorist proxies Hamas,
Renewables Meet Reality: Fuel Oil Still A Problem In New England
New England is traditionally associated with progressive approaches to the environment and the pursuit of renewable energy. States like Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine, legislated with binding laws that set limits on emissions to mitigate climate change. This is ironic because New England still relies on one of the world’s most polluting energy sources, fuel oil,
Texas Grid Needs Connectivity And Weatherproofing
The Texas power grid, 90 percent of which is managed by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), is unique in the United States. Unlike other states, Texas operates an independent power grid with very minimal connection to the two national grids: the Eastern Interconnection and the Western Interconnection. This independence is deeply rooted in