Hello and welcome to Background Briefing, available 24-7 at background briefing.

I'm Ian Masters, and today we'll examine a number of stories and issues in the news.

We'll begin with Trump's latest ultimatum issued Saturday,

giving around 48 hours to open the Strait of Humours on Monday,

or, quote, all hell will rain misspelt down on them,

and glory be to God in caps.

On Sunday, Trump resorted to unpresidential obscenity, quote, Tuesday will be power plant day and bridge day

all wrapped up into one in Iran. There will be nothing like it.

Open the effing straight, you crazy bastards.

Or you'll be living in hell. Just watch in caps.

Praise be to Allah, President Donald J. Trump.

Joining us to discuss how Trump has turned the straight of him into a toll booth for Iran with China the winner

as it transitions away from oil capturing the solar and EV market,

while Trump undoes Biden's alternative energy initiatives and wages war on wind, solar and EVs.

Joining us is Rosemary Kalanick, Director of the Middle East Program at Defense Priorities,

who publishes widely on energy security,

Great Power Politics and U.S. Grand Strategy in the Middle East. She's the author of Black

Gold and Blackmail, Oil and Great Power Politics, and Crude Strategy, rethinking the

U.S. military commitment to defend Persian Gulf Oil. She has a recent article at the New York Times,

Trump is making Jimmy Carter's mistake on Iran and oil,

and an article we will discuss at the Washington quarterly

the real US energy security problem and how to fix it.

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