Hello and welcome to Background Briefing, available 24-7 at Background Briefing.org. I'm Ian Masters, and today we'll examine a number of stories and issues in the news. We'll begin with

Trump claiming he had a successful summit with Xi and China, even though it clearly was not fruitful.

And as far as the main issue of Taiwan is concerned, it appears Trump is ready to sell them out

since he considers the arms sales to Taiwan, the US has agreed to,

are, quote, a very good bargaining chip to get other concessions out of China.

Joining us is Kent Harrington, a former senior CIA analyst who served as National Intelligence

Officer for East Asia and Chief of Station in Asia.

He has an article we will discuss at his substack first and second thoughts,

Trump and America's Asian allies, the not so long goodbye.

Then, with Cuba having run out of oil and diesel for electrical generators,

as the US offers up a paltry $100

billion in aid while enforcing a crippling embargo that amounts to collective punishment of

the Cuban people.

We'll speak with William Leogrand, a professor of history and former dean of the American

University School of Public Affairs. He is a specialist on Latin American politics and has been a frequent advisor to Congress on issues of U.S. foreign policy towards Latin America,

including as a staffer to the Democratic Policy Committee of the United States Senate.

He has written five books, including most recently back channel to Cuba, the hidden history of negotiations between Washington and Havana.

And he has a recent article at Responsible Statecraft.

In Cuba, a deadlock is more likely than a deal.

Then finally, we look into how the Republicans avoid discussing any issue of substance because they don't have a leg

to stand on, but continue to throw out made-up distractions like critical race theory and

Tifa and cultural Marxism.

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