POPULARITY
Categories
141 episodes with commerce department
39 episodes with commerce department
74 episodes with commerce department
30 episodes with commerce department
45 episodes with commerce department
40 episodes with commerce department
45 episodes with commerce department
14 episodes with commerce department
13 episodes with commerce department
8 episodes with commerce department
7 episodes with commerce department
9 episodes with commerce department
12 episodes with commerce department
9 episodes with commerce department
6 episodes with commerce department
6 episodes with commerce department
12 episodes with commerce department
8 episodes with commerce department
4 episodes with commerce department
6 episodes with commerce department
6 episodes with commerce department
7 episodes with commerce department
4 episodes with commerce department
4 episodes with commerce department
7 episodes with commerce department
22 episodes with commerce department
5 episodes with commerce department
10 episodes with commerce department
5 episodes with commerce department
6 episodes with commerce department
4 episodes with commerce department
6 episodes with commerce department
2 episodes with commerce department
3 episodes with commerce department
3 episodes with commerce department
3 episodes with commerce department
SCHEDULE THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 6-3-2026.1907 TOJO(1) Scott Harold discusses the unprecedented question from Japan's Defense Minister at the Shangri-La Dialogueregarding America's Indo-Pacific commitment. He notes the omission of Taiwan in Secretary Hegseth's speech compared to last year. Japan remains a hawkish front-line ally, despite regional concerns over shifting US national defense priorities.(2) Rebecca Grant describes the proposed Trump class battleship, a nuclear-powered "missile truck" designed for standoff strikes. Unlike traditional battleships, it emphasizes hypersonic attack and laser weaponry. The ship would be highly survivable, defended by Space Force overwatch and advanced electromagnetic warfare techniques.(3) Steve Yates examines the KMT leader's visit to Washington following meetings with Xi Jinping. He expresses concern over the KMT cutting Taiwan's indigenous defense budget. Yates also analyzes Taiwan's "inverted triangle" demographics, where older voters remain more sympathetic to traditional KMT narratives than younger generations.(4) Steve Yates argues the "Thucydides trap" is a manufactured academic concept used by Beijing to suggest inevitable US decline. He emphasizes that the US is not a classical empire and remains globally influential. China uses this rhetoric for political warfare while remaining sensitive to American strength.(5) Michael Bernstam analyzes the humiliating Ukrainian strike on a St. Petersburg oil terminal during Putin's flagship economic forum. Russia's energy sector faces a crisis, forcing a ban on refined exports like gasoline due to refinery damage. Consequently, Russia must increase crude exports to China and India.(6) Michael Bernstam notes the OECD's warning of global recession if the Gulf energy crisis persists. While the US is depleting strategic reserves to maintain supply, it is also increasing domestic production. High prices are triggering "demand destruction," where consumers shift to public transport to mitigate energy costs.(7) Bob Zimmerman reports that Blue Origin's CEO expects to resume launches this year despite a recent launchpad explosion. Meanwhile, SpaceX secured $6 billion in Space Force contracts for tracking and communication satellites. China continues rapid development with its Long March 12B, a Falcon 9-style reusable rocket copycat.(8) Bob Zimmerman highlights Curiosity rover data confirming Gale Crater's shifting climate, which once supported warm water. The James Webb Space Telescope detected high methane levels on the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas, suggesting a unique chemical composition. Webb also captured a spectacular infrared image of the galaxy M77.(9) Jonathan Schanzer describes the "ceasefire war" in the Middle East, where Iran continues attacks despite diplomatic efforts. He argues Iran aims to detach Gulf allies like Kuwait from the West. Schanzer advocates for maximum economic pressure on Tehran and increased IDF activity against Iranian proxies.(10) Jonathan Schanzer reports that Israeli forces have reduced Hamas control in Gaza to roughly 40%, aiming for 30%. Hamas is currently trapped in an Israeli "yellow zone" kill zone, making rearmament or offensive operations nearly impossible. Schanzer believes systematic military pressure is creating a viable theory of victory.(11) Titus Techera critiques the evolution of Animal Farm films, noting the newest version depicts Silicon Valley and AI as villains. He argues this shift denatures Orwell's original anti-totalitarian message for modern ideological purposes. The 1954 version remains the most effective educational tool regarding the dangers of tyranny.(12) Gordon Chang asserts that China is a declining power facing economic stagnation and a massive demographic collapse. He notes that the US economy remains superior, particularly in energy and AI. China's youth unemployment is estimated at 35-40%, forcing university graduates into menial roles like shepherding.(13) Jack Burnham discusses how Nvidia chips reach the Chinese military through loopholes in export controls and subsidiaries. He notes bureaucratic confusion over the "AI diffusion rule" allowed Chinese firms to stockpile high-end hardware. Burnham recommends stricter Commerce Department guidance to prevent further military modernization.(14) Jack Burnham explains that Volvo, though manufacturing in the US, is owned by Geely and must comply with Chinese data-sharing laws. He also warns of China's dominance in the biotechnology supply chain. Through state subsidies and "dumping," China threatens the security of US pharmaceutical and generic drug stockpiles.(15) Ryan Streeter honors economist Ed Phelps, who defined dynamism as a culture of grassroots tinkering and indigenous innovation. He explains that growth is driven by experimental mindsets rather than just scientific labs. Streeter notes that dynamic cultures, like Austin or California, naturally attract global risk-takers.(16) Ryan Streeter discusses human flourishing, defining it as the fulfillment of potential through purpose and upward mobility. He argues that dynamic societies improve job satisfaction for hourly workers by providing more options. Conversely, stagnation in Europe results from heavy regulation and a declining cultural valuation of entrepreneurs.One naming consistency flag: segment (15) uses "Ed Phelps" while your earlier preview blurb and outreach email today used "Edmund Phelps." Both are correct—Ed is the informal—but if you want consistency across the day's broadcast, I can swap to Edmund Phelps.
Preview for Later Today: Jack Burnham discusses Commerce Department restrictions on connected Chinese vehicles over espionage concerns. Volvo secured an exception because of its significant American manufacturing presence and its commitment to implementing data security safeguards.1930
(13) Jack Burnham discusses how Nvidia chips reach the Chinese military through loopholes in export controls and subsidiaries. He notes bureaucratic confusion over the "AI diffusion rule" allowed Chinese firms to stockpile high-end hardware. Burnham recommends stricter Commerce Department guidance to prevent further military modernization.
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: a great weekend finishing up the front walk way, front porch and deck with flowers and plants; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported April Construction spending; May's S&P Global Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) data was released; the Institute for Supply Management released their PMI index; a new report on the number of large tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz; Kroger launches plan to lure customers back and better compete with their rivals; oil and gas prices react to Iran halting talks with the U.S., threats to further blocking the Strait of Hormuz, Israel's further advances into Lebanon; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and a few opinions along the way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: the U.S. Labor Department reported Weekly Jobless Claims; the U.S. Commerce Department reported the Personal Consumption Expenditures Price (PCE) Index and the Core PCE; the Commerce Department also reported the second revision of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP); oil and gas prices react to reports of a ceasefire extension between the U.S. and Iran, claims by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that they had targeted a U.S. airbase in Kuwait; changes in the U.S. oil, gas and distillate stockpiles; Kevin has the details, digs into the details, puts the data into historical perspective, offers his insights, and opinions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Oil Drops – Still highest cost for Memorial Day in years Consumer Sentiment Drops again New Fertilizer coming – Kinda Soilent Green vibe Everyone is talking about SpaceX PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm-Up - Oil Drops - Still highest cost for Memorial Day in years - Consumer Sentiment Drops again - New Fertilizer coming - Kinda Soilent Green Concept - Everyone is talking about SpaceX Markets - Nothing Really Matters - Anyone can see - New HIGHS - Governments picking the winners again - CHIPS ! - Concentration NVDA - Over the weekend, Jensen Huang said that his forecast of a $200 billion market for CPUs includes China, signalling Nvidia still sees significant long-term demand in the market amid ongoing U.S.-China technology tensions. - During an earnings call on Wednesday, Huang said Nvidia's new "Vera" central processors give it access to a new $200 billion market. - So, once again the PR machine is running overtime to make sure there is no reason for anyone to sell the stock - needed to make this clarification over the weekend - Nvidia has received licenses from the U.S. government to sell its H200 chips but has not received approval from Chinese officials who are fostering China's own chip suppliers. Consumers - Consumer sentiment has tumbled to a fresh record low in May as fears of higher prices grow due to the U.S.-Iran war and elevated oil prices, the University of Michigan's Surveys of Consumers said Friday. - The index of consumer sentiment fell to 44.8 from a preliminary reading of 48.2. It's also well below the 49.8 level seen at the end of April. Consumers Upset South Korea - Record after record... - This is an impressive chart - Two companies -Samsung and SK Hynix -----40% of the entire KOSPI index's total market capitalization. Kospi Index Who Believes this Crap? - U.S. forces have conducted “self defense” strikes in southern Iran early Tuesday, with U.S. Central Command saying that this was to “protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces.“ - “U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire,” Hawkins added. - Meanwhile there was some talk over the weekend that --- 1) We are very close to a deal and it will happen soon ----2) We are in no rush for a deal ----3) How many times is this same line going to be used to try to push the price of oil down (it did move towards $90 after the weekend resumption of futures trading) - Neither side can agree on anything... Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that the United States has seen some progress towards a deal but that more work was required, while Iran's foreign ministry said the differences remained deep and significant. - Tiresome CEO of Ford - Did you know -??? - The CEO of Ford (Jim Farley) is cousin to Chris Farley Farley and Farley Crops - Farmers worldwide are under pressure due to the Iran war disrupting supplies of conventional nitrogen fertilizers, forcing them to improvise ahead of the fall planting season. - Some farmers are turning to age-old solutions like manure, while others are experimenting with newer technologies, including waste-based inputs and microbial products. -----Circular bio-economy The crisis is giving fresh momentum to products that have long struggled to gain widespread adoption, with demand for biofertilizers and biostimulants rising and companies seeing rising interest and increased sales. - Municipal wastewater and treated human urine, which contain high levels of nutrients that can be processed. ---- So, if your corn is a little extra yellow this summer - now you know... Government's Hand - Quantum computing shares popped last Thursday, as the U.S. government said it would award $2 billion in grants to nine firms operating in the space. - IBM is the biggest beneficiary of the package, with the U.S. Commerce Department agreeing to give the firm $1 billion. - Chipmaker GlobalFoundries is receiving $375 million, while other grant recipients D-Wave Quantum, Rigetti Computing and Infleqtion will be awarded $100 million. - Shares of D-Wave added 33%, Rigetti soared 30% and Infleqtion skyrocketed about 31%. - Funding will come from the 2022 Chips and Science Act. More Money Throwing - Nvidia Corp. bought $500 million worth of rights for shares in Corning Inc. as part of a partnership to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure. - Corning pledged to increase US fiber production capacity by more than 50% to supply more optical fiber for AI data centers. - The partnership includes Corning's plan to construct three new complexes in North Carolina and Texas, which is estimated to create more than 3,000 new US jobs. DEBT - Global debt hits new record, IIF (institute for International Finance) report shows - Global debt rose for a fifth consecutive quarter in Q1 2026, increasing by more than $4.4 trillion to a record high of over $350 trillion, with the increase concentrated largely in the United States and China. - Investors shows signs of shift away from Treasuries - Global debt-to-GDP ratio stable around 305% - NOTHING TO SEE HERE Global Debt More Charts AI Reality? - Starbucks retires AI tool nine months after North American deployment - Tool was part of CEO Brian Niccol's campaign to fix product shortages - AI tool miscounted items, leading to errors, Reuters has reported Starbucks cites need for consistency, supply chain improvements in ending program More AI - Elon Musk's Grok is seeing minimal adoption in US government - even though it's cheap- - Grok lags far behind OpenAI and other rivals that analysts call more capable - Data shows uptake by corporations is also weak, suggesting Grok's problems stretch beyond government - Is it possible that corps don't trust Musk after the way he heavy handled the DOGE process? - Is this going to impact SpaceX growth story? Employment and Ai - The co-founder of AI company Anthropic said on Monday that the development of artificial intelligence cannot be left solely to technology companies, urging greater oversight from religious leaders, governments and civil society. - Speaking at the presentation of Pope Leo's first encyclical, addressing the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, Chris Olah said there was "a real possibility" that AI will displace human labour "at very large scale". Scared - China is restricting overseas travel for top AI professionals in private firms, requiring them to get approval from relevant authorities before embarking on overseas travel. - The government is targeting talent within the AI sphere, including startup founders, researchers, and executives, and adding individuals to the list based on assessments of their critical importance to the country. - The restrictions risk undermining the ability of AI firms in China to recruit and retain talent, and may force engineers with global ambitions to choose between staying home or going abroad earlier in their careers. CHIPS - Micron topped a $1 trillion market value for the first time on Tuesday as shares popped 18%, driven by insatiable artificial intelligence demand for its memory chips. - The stock surge came as UBS tripled its price target on the stock from $535 to $1,625 a share, citing long-term agreement opportunities with partially fixed pricing. - “We believe the market will start to put a more ‘normal' multiple on the stock and MU will continue to re-rate higher as more details emerge about the structural changes AI has driven to the entire memory complex,” the firm wrote. SpaceX - Lots of interest on this... - Lots of clients calling on this and we are working on this for them - Here is a bit of a reality check... --- First - company still losing billions of dollars - some may look past that - - Weird inclusion period for indices and that may take stock up due to required buying ahead of the inclusion (keeping a floor on prices in the beginning) ---- SpaceX plans to allow a large portion of its shares to become eligible for resale before the usual six-month restriction period post-IPO, under a staged system conditioned to the company's performance, a company filing shows. - The approach, designed to avoid a large wave of shares hitting the market at once, would depart from the standard 180-day lock-up that has prevailed in the U.S. Most companies going public restrict early investors from selling shares to help stabilize the stock. - Valuation somewhere between $1.5T and $2T (a year ago it was like $400 million) - Valuation in December was $750 M - Rationale for the big valuation: SpaceX is leveraging its satellite network to build massive, space-based AI data centers, which take advantage of limitless solar energy and off-planet cooling Retail - Ross Stores Inc. raised its sales and profit guidance after first-quarter results surpassed consensus estimates, aided by strong customer traffic among younger shoppers. - The company reported sales of $6.01 billion and earnings of $2.02 per share, with same-store sales growing 17% in the period, a record for Ross. - Ross now expects full-year same-store sales to grow 6% to 7%, and earnings of $7.50 to $7.74 per share, with executives citing increased customer traffic as a key driver of profit. Meanwhile - Walmart issued a worse-than-expected financial outlook amid soaring gas prices. - Finance chief John David Rainey said high tax returns may have muted some of the impact high gas prices had on shoppers in the first quarter, indicating consumer pressures could rise in the current quarter - The big-box retailer issued fiscal first-quarter results that beat Wall Street's expectations on the top line but were only in line on the bottom. - The retailer said it's expecting adjusted earnings per share to be between $2.75 and $2.85, lower than expectations of $2.91, according to LSEG. - Walmart said it anticipates net sales will rise between 3.5% and 4.5% for the year. Ferrari - Electric - Ferrari (RACE) is trading lower today after the company unveiled its first fully electric vehicle, the Ferrari Luce, marking a major strategic shift away from its traditional combustion-engine supercar identity. - The Luce is a four-door, five-seat ultra-luxury EV developed with former Apple (AAPL) design chief Jony Ive, featuring a quad-motor setup producing over 1,000 horsepower, a 0--60 mph time of roughly 2.5 seconds, and a price tag around $640,000. - Despite these headline-grabbing performance specs, investors reacted negatively because the design is seen as a sharp break from RACE's iconic styling, with many critics arguing it looks closer to a mass-market EV than a traditional Ferrari. Saying goodbye - One of America's once-dominant beer brands is being discontinued after more than 175 years. - Schlitz Premium, a beer brand that traces its roots to Milwaukee in the 1840s and was once among the largest breweries in the country, is being put "on hiatus," parent company Pabst Brewing Co. confirmed Friday after Wisconsin Brewing Company announced it would brew the brand's final batch later this month. - "Unfortunately, we have seen continued increases in our costs to store and ship certain products and have had to make the tough choice to place Schlitz Premium on hiatus," Zac Nadile, Pabst head of brand strategy, said in a statement to Milwaukee Magazine. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Announcing the THE CLOSEST TO THE PIN for SALESFORCE (CRM) Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt! FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter
Investors remain optimistic despite an uncertain backdrop in the Middle East. Plus: Shares of quantum-computing companies climb further after the Commerce Department announces $2 billion in grants. IMAX shares jump after the WSJ reports sales talks. Alexis Green hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Back in 2010, author Ian Bremmer warned “We are no longer in a global, free-market economy. There are now two systems out there. There is a free-market system, largely in the developed world. There is a state-directed capitalist system in China, Russia and the Persian Gulf. The systems are mutually incompatible. When your principal actors are multinational corporations in the private sector and they rely for their growth on unfettered access to global markets, and state capitalist systems don't do that, you are going to have a problem. And we are just at the beginning of that problem.” Here in 2026, that is starting to look like a prophecy that is now being fulfilled under Donald Trump with the rise of state-directed capitalism, the antithesis of America First. That warning shot to Trump's ear back in 2024 at the rally in Butler, PA, is now paying big dividends for the Deep State.“And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it. If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.” Luke 4:5-7 (KJB)On this episode of the Prophecy News Podcast, 16 years ago Ian Bremmer warned that the world was no longer operating under one global free-market system. He said there were now two systems: the free-market system of the United States and other western nations, and the state-capitalist system of China, Russia, and the Persian Gulf. Sixteen years later, under Trump, America is not merely confronting that system, Washington is busy adopting it. Government equity stakes, national-security industrial policy, strategic corporate ownership, and taxpayer-backed national champions are exactly the mechanics of state-directed capitalism. The latest reports say the Trump administration is moving beyond traditional grants, loans, and tax credits and is now taking direct equity stakes in strategic companies. Today's reporting says the Commerce Department is backing a roughly $2 billion quantum-computing initiative involving equity stakes or minority-investment arrangements across companies including IBM, Intel, US Steel, GlobalFoundries, Quantinuum, PsiQuantum, Atom Computing, Rigetti, D-Wave, Infleqtion, and Diraq. State-directed capitalism is ripped straight out of the Council on Foreign Relations playbook going back as far as 2016 when Trump first became president. The global economic model is shifting under our feet. The same state-capitalist machinery once associated with China and Russia is now being repackaged in America with patriotic language and labeled as ‘America First'. This is where we are on Day 2,258 of 15 Days To Flatten The Curve!
US equity markets advanced and shaped to cap another strong week ahead of the holiday long weekend despite heightened volatility – Dow gained +276-points or +0.55% to a record closing high of 50,285.66. International Business Machines (IBM) Corp soared +12.43% after the company said it would receive a US$1B CHIPS and Science Act award from the Commerce Department to build a quantum chip foundry. The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. government will award US$2B in grants to nine firms operating in the quantum computing space, lifting a host of companies in the wider sector. Nvidia Corp fell -1.77% despite the world's largest market capitalisation reporting better-than-expected headline numbers for the first quarter after the close of the previous session. Part of the drag on Nvidia's shares was attributed to investors seeking to build cash reserves ahead of pending initial public offerings (IPO) by SpaceX, OpenAI and Anthropic
Kevin discusses and covers the following stories: weather is back in the news, Americas Commercial Transportation Research Co. (ACT) and Freight Transportation Research Associates – Transportation Intelligence (FTR) reported April Class 8 truck orders; Rachel Strauss, Founder & CEO of PBM Princess, LLC, joins the show to talk about pharmacy benefit management and how employers can save on prescription drugs; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported March Construction Spending; oil prices continue to react to Iranian attacks on their neighbors, patience with Iran's peace talk stalling wearing thin and continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Anthropic is making the AI infrastructure race look less like software and more like an industrial arms race. The company reportedly committed $200 billion to Google Cloud over five years, stacked on top of its existing Amazon compute arrangement, while also striking a separate agreement tied to SpaceX and xAI's Colossus supercomputer infrastructure. Cerebras is blowing past expectations in what could become the largest tech IPO of 2026. The wafer-scale AI chip company is reportedly oversubscribed more than 20x, with a potential valuation up to $26.6 billion. After years of NVIDIA dominating the AI hardware story, public markets are now showing real appetite for the next layer of AI infrastructure.Meta is cutting roughly 8,000 jobs and canceling another 6,000 open roles as it redirects up to $135 billion toward AI infrastructure in 2026. The AI labor transition is no longer theoretical. The Cleveland Fed's inflation nowcast is projecting May headline CPI at 3.89%, while the S&P 500's Shiller P/E ratio reached 41.83, the second-highest reading in more than a century of market history. Stocks are expensive, inflation is reaccelerating, and rate cuts are moving further out of reach. Stagflation risk is back in the market conversation.Runner-up: The Trump-Xi summit is reportedly adding AI to the agenda for the first formal U.S.-China bilateral AI dialogue. The talks are expected to focus on autonomous weapons, frontier model behavior, and risks from open-source models in the hands of nonstate actors. Runner-up: OpenAI released GPT-5.5 Instant as the new default ChatGPT model, with a focus on reducing hallucinations in legal, medical, and financial use cases. The model wars are increasingly being fought on reliability, latency, and enterprise trust rather than raw benchmark dominance.Runner-up: Google, Microsoft, and xAI joined OpenAI and Anthropic in giving the U.S. Commerce Department's AI standards office pre-release access to frontier models for evaluation. Government review is becoming part of the frontier AI release process.Runner-up: AMD and Arista both posted blowout Q1 results, showing that the AI capex boom is spreading beyond NVIDIA into accelerators, networking, optics, power, and cooling. The picks-and-shovels trade is broadening.If you want a prize, send us a DM on Instagram:http://instagram.com/rickerandbonttps://www.tiktok.com/@rickerandbon
Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., is demanding answers from the Commerce Department over concerns tied to NSO Group's Pegasus spyware technology. The surveillance tools have reportedly been used to target journalists, activists and government officials worldwide, raising new questions about possible domestic use in the United States. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/newsletter Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released their Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS), how the media reported the numbers, is interesting; Phil Flynn, Senior Market Analyst, PRICE Futures Group and author of The Energy Report, joins the show to discuss the war in Iran, oil and gas prices and expectations for those prices going forward; the Commerce Department's Census Bureau released February and March New Home Sales; Kevin has the details, digs into the details, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released their Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS), how the media reported the numbers, is interesting; Phil Flynn, Senior Market Analyst, PRICE Futures Group and author of The Energy Report, joins the show to discuss the war in Iran, oil and gas prices and expectations for those prices going forward; the Commerce Department's Census Bureau released February and March New Home Sales; Kevin has the details, digs into the details, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released their Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary (JOLTS), how the media reported the numbers, is interesting; Phil Flynn, Senior Market Analyst, PRICE Futures Group and author of The Energy Report, joins the show to discuss the war in Iran, oil and gas prices and expectations for those prices going forward; the Commerce Department's Census Bureau released February and March New Home Sales; Kevin has the details, digs into the details, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions.
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: a recap of he and his wife's annual trip to the local casino to watch and place a wager on the 152nd Kentucky Derby; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported March U.S. Factory Orders; on Friday, the S&P Global U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for April was reported; also, on Friday the Institute for Supply Management released their April Manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI); oil and gas prices reacted to Iran's stepped-up attacks on the United Arab Emirates and ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the most serious escalation since the early April ceasefire; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and offers a few opinions along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: a recap of he and his wife's annual trip to the local casino to watch and place a wager on the 152nd Kentucky Derby; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported March U.S. Factory Orders; on Friday, the S&P Global U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for April was reported; also, on Friday the Institute for Supply Management released their April Manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI); oil and gas prices reacted to Iran's stepped-up attacks on the United Arab Emirates and ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the most serious escalation since the early April ceasefire; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and offers a few opinions along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: a recap of he and his wife's annual trip to the local casino to watch and place a wager on the 152nd Kentucky Derby; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported March U.S. Factory Orders; on Friday, the S&P Global U.S. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for April was reported; also, on Friday the Institute for Supply Management released their April Manufacturing Purchasing Manager's Index (PMI); oil and gas prices reacted to Iran's stepped-up attacks on the United Arab Emirates and ships in the Strait of Hormuz, the most serious escalation since the early April ceasefire; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and offers a few opinions along the way.
15. US Chip Restrictions and Chinese Cyber Espionage Guest: Jack Burnham Jack Burnham details the Commerce Department's targeted restrictions on Chinese chipmakers and reports on the successful extradition of a Chinese hacker from Italy for stealing COVID-related data during the pandemic. 151900 BROADWAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
SCHEDULE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 5-1-2026.1900 LA FIESTA DE LOS ANGELES, CHINESE DRAGON1. California Gubernatorial Race and Infrastructure Guest: Jeff Bliss Jeff Bliss discusses the crowded field for the California gubernatorial race and the failures of the high-speed rail project, which faces massive cost overruns and significant design scaling back in the state. 12. Los Angeles Mayoral Race and Fentanyl Crisis Guest: Jeff Bliss Jeff Bliss reports on the LA mayoral race, highlighting Spencer Pratt's rising popularity and the visible toll of the fentanyl crisis, described as the "fentanyl fold," on the city's vulnerable street populations. 23. Supreme Court Ruling on Racial Gerrymandering Guest: Richard Epstein Richard Epstein analyzes the Supreme Court striking down a Louisiana congressional map, discussing the complexities of racial gerrymandering and the resulting political polarization from redistricting efforts under the current Voting Rights Act. 34. Potential Escalation of Ground War in Iran Guest: Richard Epstein Richard Epstein evaluates the risks of a potential ground war in Iran, comparing it to Vietnam and Iraq while critiquing the current administration's military strategy and its mismanagement of the domestic economy. 45. Economic Observations in Lancaster County and DC Guest: Jim McTague Jim McTague reports on tariff impacts slowing business at Costco and local layoffs, while observing heavy construction activity around the White House and high occupancy at the Army Navy Club in Washington. 56. International Diplomacy and Maritime Chokepoints Guest: Emily Wang Emily Wang examines the difficulties of securing maritime chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting that private insurance premiums could be a more effective tool for regional stability than traditional diplomatic negotiations. 67. Private Space Industry Successes and Bureaucratic Hurdles Guest: Bob Zimmerman Bob Zimmerman covers SpaceX's legal victory in California and Amazon's satellite progress, while critiquing bureaucratic "red tape" that significantly delays spaceport development in the United Kingdom and the Canadian space program. 78. NASA's Budgetary Future and Space Exploration Guest: Bob Zimmerman Bob Zimmerman discusses NASA'sbudget hearings, noting a shift from science toward exploration, and the ongoing debate over the necessity of manned missions to Mars versus the use of robotic probes. 89. Vermeer's Artistic Journey and Spiritual Context Guest: Andrew Graham Dixon Andrew Graham Dixonexplores Vermeer's early life and how he transitioned into painting spiritually symbolic scenes of women for members of the hidden Remonstrant church during the 17th century in the Dutch Republic. 910. Medical Symbolism in Vermeer's The Lacemaker Guest: Andrew Graham Dixon Andrew Graham Dixonprovides a speculative interpretation of The Lacemaker, arguing the painting contains coded references to blood circulation and placental science that were being discovered by medical scholars during that era. 1011. Utopian Visions and Global Exploration in Vermeer's Art Guest: Andrew Graham Dixon Andrew Graham Dixon analyzes Vermeer's View of Delft as a utopian vision of peace and explores how his paintings of astronomers reflected Dutch spiritual efforts to find the lost tribes of Israel. 1112. The Forgotten Legacy and Spiritual Depth of Vermeer Guest: Andrew Graham Dixon Andrew Graham Dixonexplains how Vermeer was lost to history for centuries and argues that his domestic scenes were actually spiritual acts of prayer intended to depict moral goodness and divine radiance. 1213. Nuclear Non-Proliferation and the Iranian Dispute Guest: Henry Sokolski Henry Sokolski discusses the NPTreview conference, debating whether an "inalienable right" to enrich uranium exists and the lack of enforcement mechanisms to prevent countries from manufacturing nuclear weapons. 1314. Space Warfare and Middle East Missile Defense Guest: Henry Sokolski Henry Sokolski warns of China'sdevelopment of satellites capable of "stealing" others and notes the UAE's new reliance on Israeli Iron Dome technology for defense against increasing Iranian missile threats. 1415. US Chip Restrictions and Chinese Cyber Espionage Guest: Jack Burnham Jack Burnham details the Commerce Department's targeted restrictions on Chinese chipmakers and reports on the successful extradition of a Chinese hacker from Italy for stealing COVID-related data during the pandemic. 1516. USMCA Review and Canada-US Trade Relations Guest: Conrad Black Conrad Black discusses the upcoming USMCA review, highlighting major Canadian concerns regarding the protection of its auto and steel industries while navigating complex trade relations and diversification efforts with the United States. 16
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: on Wednesday, after the Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee, Chairman Jerome Powell announced their interest rate decision and indicated his plans once his term as Chaiman ends on May 15, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered his thoughts on Powell's decision; the U.S. Labor Department reported the Weekly Jobless Claims report; the U.S. Commerce Department reported the Personal Consumption Expenditures Index, Core Personal Consumption Expenditures Index; Personal Spending, Personal Income and Gross Domestic Product; oil and gas prices continue to be affected by the events in the Strait of Hormuz, the Blockade of Iran's ports, the United Arab Emirates decision to exit the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and a few opinions along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: on Wednesday, after the Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee, Chairman Jerome Powell announced their interest rate decision and indicated his plans once his term as Chaiman ends on May 15, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered his thoughts on Powell's decision; the U.S. Labor Department reported the Weekly Jobless Claims report; the U.S. Commerce Department reported the Personal Consumption Expenditures Index, Core Personal Consumption Expenditures Index; Personal Spending, Personal Income and Gross Domestic Product; oil and gas prices continue to be affected by the events in the Strait of Hormuz, the Blockade of Iran's ports, the United Arab Emirates decision to exit the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and a few opinions along the way. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: on Wednesday, after the Federal Reserve's Federal Open Market Committee, Chairman Jerome Powell announced their interest rate decision and indicated his plans once his term as Chaiman ends on May 15, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent offered his thoughts on Powell's decision; the U.S. Labor Department reported the Weekly Jobless Claims report; the U.S. Commerce Department reported the Personal Consumption Expenditures Index, Core Personal Consumption Expenditures Index; Personal Spending, Personal Income and Gross Domestic Product; oil and gas prices continue to be affected by the events in the Strait of Hormuz, the Blockade of Iran's ports, the United Arab Emirates decision to exit the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and a few opinions along the way.
On Day 76 of the Homeland Security Department shutdown, the House joins the Senate in passing a full fiscal-year spending bill to fund all the department's agencies except ICE & CBP; Illinois Accountability Commission releases its final report on what it says were abuses by federal immigration agents in Chicago; Commerce Department says core inflation is 3.2%, driven by higher fuel prices from the war with Iran; Senate votes for a sixth time almost along party lines to block a Democratic resolution to require the U.S. stop military action against Iran without Congressional authorization; President Donald Trump signs an executive order to create a new government website where people can find and compare private-sector retirement savings accounts; House passes a five-year farm bill, after passing an amendment to remove a provision that would have given pesticide companies immunity from some liability claims; FCC Chair Brendan Carr says the White House did not pressure the commission to start an early review of Disney's broadcast licenses over President Trump's feud with ABC late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel; Senate bans Senators from betting on prediction markets; King Charles III & Queen Camilla finish up their state visit to the U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: observations on the visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Washington, D.C., the King's address to a joint session of Congress and the elegant State Dinner; the U.S. Commerce Department reported the March Durable Goods Orders; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported March Single- Family Housing Starts, the delayed, due to the Schumer Shutdown, February Housing Starts, March and February Building Permits; oil and gas prices continue to rise due to the events in the Strait of Hormuz, the blockade of Iran and a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) leaving the group; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: observations on the visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Washington, D.C., the King's address to a joint session of Congress and the elegant State Dinner; the U.S. Commerce Department reported the March Durable Goods Orders; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported March Single- Family Housing Starts, the delayed, due to the Schumer Shutdown, February Housing Starts, March and February Building Permits; oil and gas prices continue to rise due to the events in the Strait of Hormuz, the blockade of Iran and a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) leaving the group; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covers and discusses the following stories: observations on the visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Washington, D.C., the King's address to a joint session of Congress and the elegant State Dinner; the U.S. Commerce Department reported the March Durable Goods Orders; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported March Single- Family Housing Starts, the delayed, due to the Schumer Shutdown, February Housing Starts, March and February Building Permits; oil and gas prices continue to rise due to the events in the Strait of Hormuz, the blockade of Iran and a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) leaving the group; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions.
*Screwworms are moving closer to Texas. *The U.S. Commerce Department is slightly lowering duties on some fertilizer imports. *Texas spring planting progress is moving forward. *A major fundraising effort has raised a lot of money for programs and projects at West Texas A&M University in Canyon. *There are a lot of factors involved in cotton planting decisions this year. *Just days after meeting with Texas farmers about fertilizer prices, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has an announcement on the fertilizer industry. *The Texas Hill Country and the Winter Garden area received some much-needed rainfall. *Prevention and treatment of grass tetany is important at this time of year.
Canadian visitation to the U.S. is down 35% since President Trump returned to office—dealing a massive, sustained economic blow to the U.S. economy that shows no sign of reversing in 2026. Key Facts The number of Canadians taking road trips into the U.S.—the most common way of visiting—dropped by 5% last month compared to March 2025 and is down 35% compared to March 2024, according to data released Monday from Statistics Canada. There was also a 14% year-over-year decline in air travelers from Canada to the U.S. in March. In contrast, the volume of Americans visiting Canada in March was up 4% compared to a year ago. For the third consecutive month, more Canadians flew to overseas destinations than drove to the U.S.—flipping a long-established pattern. Canadian visitation overseas was up 5% year over year—a sign Canadians are swapping the U.S. for other international destinations. Nearly a quarter (23%) of Canadian travelers have canceled a previously planned trip to the U.S., according to a Longwoods International tracking study of Canadian travelers. Crucial Quote “In my 37 years in the travel industry, I have never seen anything like what the Canadians have pulled off,” Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International, told Forbes. How Much Has The 14-Month Canadian Boycott Cost The U.s. Economy? In the years leading to President Donald Trump's re-election to a second term, Canadian tourists were the biggest single source of international visitors to the U.S., comprising roughly one-quarter of all foreign travelers, according to the U.S. Commerce Department's National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). In 2024, Canadian tourists injected $20.5 billion into the U.S. economy. But in early 2025, the U.S. Travel Association (USTA) warned even a 10% reduction in Canadian inbound travel could translate to $2.1 billion in lost spending and 140,000 lost jobs in the hospitality sector. The actual decline was 22%—more than double that hypothetical drop—which works out to a drop of roughly $4.5 billion in visitor spending. The boycott continued into 2026, with double-digit declines in both January and February, and cumulative two-year drops of more than 30% each month. Read the full story on Forbes: By Suzanne Rowan Kelleher https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2026/04/13/canadian-visits-us-down-35-percent/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Canadian visitation to the U.S. is down 35% since President Trump returned to office—dealing a massive, sustained economic blow to the U.S. economy that shows no sign of reversing in 2026. Key Facts The number of Canadians taking road trips into the U.S.—the most common way of visiting—dropped by 5% last month compared to March 2025 and is down 35% compared to March 2024, according to data released Monday from Statistics Canada. There was also a 14% year-over-year decline in air travelers from Canada to the U.S. in March. In contrast, the volume of Americans visiting Canada in March was up 4% compared to a year ago. For the third consecutive month, more Canadians flew to overseas destinations than drove to the U.S.—flipping a long-established pattern. Canadian visitation overseas was up 5% year over year—a sign Canadians are swapping the U.S. for other international destinations. Nearly a quarter (23%) of Canadian travelers have canceled a previously planned trip to the U.S., according to a Longwoods International tracking study of Canadian travelers. Crucial Quote “In my 37 years in the travel industry, I have never seen anything like what the Canadians have pulled off,” Amir Eylon, President and CEO of Longwoods International, told Forbes. How Much Has The 14-Month Canadian Boycott Cost The U.s. Economy? In the years leading to President Donald Trump's re-election to a second term, Canadian tourists were the biggest single source of international visitors to the U.S., comprising roughly one-quarter of all foreign travelers, according to the U.S. Commerce Department's National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). In 2024, Canadian tourists injected $20.5 billion into the U.S. economy. But in early 2025, the U.S. Travel Association (USTA) warned even a 10% reduction in Canadian inbound travel could translate to $2.1 billion in lost spending and 140,000 lost jobs in the hospitality sector. The actual decline was 22%—more than double that hypothetical drop—which works out to a drop of roughly $4.5 billion in visitor spending. The boycott continued into 2026, with double-digit declines in both January and February, and cumulative two-year drops of more than 30% each month. Read the full story on Forbes: By Suzanne Rowan Kelleher https://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2026/04/13/canadian-visits-us-down-35-percent/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kevin discusses and covers the following stories: oil prices react to the war with Iran, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright discussed the potential production from Venezuela which could add to the worldwide supply; while at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS), Kelsea Eckert with Downtime Claims stopped by to talk about the recovery of truckers' downtime; certain companies are beginning to advertise for a massive increase in employees, price decreases and an emphasis on customer service; the U.S. Commerce Department reported February Durable Goods Orders; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin discusses and covers the following stories: oil prices react to the war with Iran, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright discussed the potential production from Venezuela which could add to the worldwide supply; while at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS), Kelsea Eckert with Downtime Claims stopped by to talk about the recovery of truckers' downtime; certain companies are beginning to advertise for a massive increase in employees, price decreases and an emphasis on customer service; the U.S. Commerce Department reported February Durable Goods Orders; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions.
Kevin discusses and covers the following stories: oil prices react to the war with Iran, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright discussed the potential production from Venezuela which could add to the worldwide supply; while at the Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS), Kelsea Eckert with Downtime Claims stopped by to talk about the recovery of truckers' downtime; certain companies are beginning to advertise for a massive increase in employees, price decreases and an emphasis on customer service; the U.S. Commerce Department reported February Durable Goods Orders; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
*El Nino will bring more rainfall to Texas later this year. *One Texas cattleman says we need to reopen the Mexican border for livestock imports. *State and national agricultural organizations are asking the Commerce Department to remove duties on phosphate imports. *Conservation programs are underway across Texas. *Virtual technology is becoming more common in Texas agriculture. *USDA has released its forecasts for planted acreage this year. *External parasites can be a problem in backyard chicken flocks.
Kevin covers and talks about the following stories: payroll processing company ADP reported Private Sector Employment Growth; while at the Mid-America Trucking Show last week Julie Wright, North American Marketing Manager, Shell Rotella stopped by to talk about Shell Rotella SuperRigs June 25 - 27 in Bristol TN., also the Your Truck Your Call Initiative; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported Retail Sales and Core Retail Sales; the Institute for Supply Management released their Survey of Manufacturing Purchasing Managers; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covers and talks about the following stories: payroll processing company ADP reported Private Sector Employment Growth; while at the Mid-America Trucking Show last week Julie Wright, North American Marketing Manager, Shell Rotella stopped by to talk about Shell Rotella SuperRigs June 25 - 27 in Bristol TN., also the Your Truck Your Call Initiative; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported Retail Sales and Core Retail Sales; the Institute for Supply Management released their Survey of Manufacturing Purchasing Managers; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covers and talks about the following stories: payroll processing company ADP reported Private Sector Employment Growth; while at the Mid-America Trucking Show last week Julie Wright, North American Marketing Manager, Shell Rotella stopped by to talk about Shell Rotella SuperRigs June 25 - 27 in Bristol TN., also the Your Truck Your Call Initiative; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported Retail Sales and Core Retail Sales; the Institute for Supply Management released their Survey of Manufacturing Purchasing Managers; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinion.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, the Commerce Department and members of Congress are looking for a public action plan on how to stabilize fertilizer markets and reduce prices. Brazilian consultancy firm AgRual has cut its forecast for corn production and raised its outlook for soybeans. Crop analysts question if the USDA's planting survey accurately reflects farmer crop intentions resulting from the war with Iran.
We Like Shooting - Ep 656 This episode of We Like Shooting is brought to you by: Gideon Optics (Code: WLSISLIFE) Night Fision (Code: WLSISLIFE) Die Free Co. (Code: WLSISLIFE) Rost Martin (Code: WLSISLIFE) Flatline Fiber Co (Code: WLS15) Second Call Defense Guests: David Warner – www.nextlevelarms.com www.nextlevelmfg.com Next Level Arms (@nextlevelarms) Text Dear WLS or Reviews +1 743 500 2171 Public Show Titles GunCon.net Tickets on sale now. Use code AGENCY171 GEAR CHAT [NickLynch] MP5 Speed Loader – Remix This is a remix of Jackmnb's speed loader designed for MP5, with the cartridge slot moved to allow dropping cartridges bullet-first from the back side. A chamfer has been added to facilitate faster and easier filling of the loader. Angles have been modified to enable printing without supports. Note MP5 Mag loader [Benelli] Lupo The Benelli Lupo is a bolt-action rifle highlighted in the ‘Art of Performance' video series for its proprietary barrel engineering. It features a three-step manufacturing process including vacuum heat treatment, electrochemical rifling, and cryogenic Crio treatment to achieve superior accuracy and consistency. The rifle's rigid chassis and harmonized action ensure minimal flex, precise alignment, and out-of-box performance. [Infinite Zero Targets] Rifle Zeroing Targets Infinite Zero Targets provides free printable rifle zeroing targets designed for precise firearm sighting. The page promotes these paper targets alongside the Ballistics Report app for ballistic calculations. No hardware technical gear such as optics or mechanical devices is detailed. Note (Nick) Sig P229 BULLET POINTS GUN FIGHTS No one stepped into the arena this week. GOING BALLISTIC Colorado HB 26-1144: Democrats Amend 3D-Printed Firearms Bill to Avoid Veto Colorado House Bill 1144 (HB 26-1144) targets the use of 3D printers to manufacture guns or gun parts, making it a crime in the state. Democrats revised the bill by removing a provision banning the distribution of digital printing instructions to secure passage and avoid a veto from Gov. Jared Polis. The amended version classifies first offenses as Class I misdemeanors and subsequent offenses as Class 5 felonies. Heeter v. James: Challenge to New York's Body Armor Ban Under the Second Amendment Heeter v. James is a federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York challenging New York's body armor ban under the Concealed Carry Improvement Act as a Second Amendment violation. Plaintiffs argue body armor qualifies as an ‘arm' for self-defense, supported by historical precedents like Heller and Bruen, common civilian use, and lack of historical bans. The ban prohibits purchase, acquisition, or sale of protective body coverings by non-eligible civilians, with enforcement by state police. National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. v. Letitia James: SAF Amicus Brief Urging Supreme Court to Protect Firearms Industry under PLCAA The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), along with NRA and Independence Institute, filed an amicus brief on March 30, 2026, in National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. v. Letitia James, challenging New York's law that circumvents the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). SAF argues that New York's statute enables abusive public nuisance lawsuits against firearms manufacturers and dealers, undermining PLCAA's protections against meritless litigation campaigns aimed at bankrupting the industry. The brief urges the Supreme Court to grant certiorari and reaffirm PLCAA's safeguards for lawful commerce and Second Amendment rights. Colorado House Bill 1144: 3D Gun Printing Ban Drops Digital Instructions Provision to Avoid Veto (Savage) Colorado's House Bill 1144 originally aimed to ban the manufacture of 3D printed guns and components like high-capacity magazines and receivers, as well as the sale or distribution of digital instructions for printing them. Lawmakers removed the provision on digital instructions after Gov. Jared Polis indicated he would veto the bill otherwise. The amended bill passed a preliminary Senate vote and is expected to be signed into law. Warren-Meeks Letter Demands Data on U.S. Semi-Automatic Firearm Export Licenses (Savage) U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Rep. Greg Meeks (D-NY) sent a letter to the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security requesting detailed data on semi-automatic firearm export licenses approved since January 2025. They cite ATF data linking U.S. exports to 20% of crime gun traces in Central America and 37% worldwide outside North America, demanding info on licenses, recipients, and monitoring by April 13, 2026. This follows Biden administration pauses on certain exports and Warren's recent legislation targeting ammunition sales and military-grade weapons. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson: Pro-Gun Control Policies with $30 Million Taxpayer-Funded Armed Security (Savage) Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson supports Illinois' restrictive gun control measures, including a ban on assault-style weapons upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in 2023, while employing an armed security detail of up to 150 Chicago Police Department officers. This security costs taxpayers approximately $30 million annually. The arrangement highlights a perceived double standard where officials enjoy armed protection amid public firearm restrictions. Rep. Fry Files Amicus Brief in NSSF v. James Seeking SCOTUS Review to Defend Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) (Savage) Rep. Russell Fry (R-SC), leading 54 House colleagues, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) with Senate colleagues, filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review the Second Circuit's decision in NSSF v. James. The brief defends the PLCAA, a 2005 federal law preempting state liability suits against gun manufacturers for criminal misuse of firearms, against New York's public nuisance law. It argues the Second Circuit ruling undermines congressional intent and enables similar state circumventions. Armed Citizen Fights Off Attackers at Arundel Mills Mall, Hanover, Maryland (Savage) On March 28, 2026, an armed citizen at Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover, Maryland, drew a firearm during an assault by three attackers outside Burlington Coat Factory, discharging it and wounding one in the wrist. The attackers fled, leading to a police chase and crash on I-97, resulting in three arrests. The incident highlights civilian self-defense in a Maryland jurisdiction.0 Michigan Lawyer Barton Morris Helps Non-Violent Felons Restore Gun Rights via Federal DOJ Program (Savage) A Michigan lawyer, Barton Morris, assists non-violent felons who have completed their sentences in petitioning for firearm rights restoration through a proposed U.S. Department of Justice program. Michigan state law currently prohibits these individuals, such as those convicted of drug offenses, drunk driving, or theft, from owning guns post-sentence. An example is Clarence Overstreet, who filed a petition after a past cocaine possession conviction to protect his family and hunt. Calce v. City of New York Calce v. City of New York challenges New York City's ban on civilian possession of stun guns and tasers in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals (docket 25-861). The district court granted summary judgment to the city in March 2025, ruling plaintiffs failed to prove common use for Second Amendment protection. Oral arguments occurred, focusing on whether ‘common use' is a plaintiff burden under Bruen or shifts to the government. Ohio SB 392: Freedom to Carry Act Ohio Senate Bill 392, introduced on March 23, 2026, seeks to reform state weapons carry laws by expanding concealed carry beyond handguns to other deadly weapons, renaming licenses to concealed weapons licenses, and lowering the licensing age from 21 to 18. It permits licensed carry of concealed deadly weapons excluding ‘exclusive deadly weapons' defined as dangerous ordnance or federally/state-prohibited items, and allows loaded firearm possession in vehicles. The bill remains in the introduced stage amid Ohio's Republican legislative supermajorities. REVIEWS Review: The 5th cast member from Oregon From The 5th cast member If I visited each of the cast members. Sean First I would ask to see vault and when he took me to the gun vault I'd say no I mean the vault of money but you don't tell the other cast members about. Then we would take some time digging through all of the boxes of gear that he has been given by sponsors of the show over the years that he's never even opened or look at. Poring me a drink of something suspicious but claim it is some sort of Old world drink to see you. Sure few drinks probably want to show me a smooth child by balls which of course would scar me for life but they're really weird part would be with his pants down asking me if I want to play some hockey. Savige He would show me all of his communist compliant guns. Which wouldn't really actually be very many. Explain to me all of the conspiracy theories around the government in the state and federal. To ask if I wanted to join him secret group that was planning the next January 6th type event only he would call it January 7th as if that was enough secret seat to avoid being obvious. I received there believing I was just been trapped by an FBI informed. Aaron Quickly after meeting Erin he would want to show me the book he's been working on “the art of working” I'm genuinely act interested not to crushes dreams of becoming some sort of Tom Clancy. Then he would give me a 2 hour tutorial on how to use indeed. Followed by a house to get fired but still get the maximum unemployment benefits. Jarami I probably meet him at his gun store first. Shoot his “Part 2 because you wouldn't let me text the whole story. Nick
Advisors on This Week's Show Kyle Tetting Art Rothschild Adam Baley (with Max Hoelzl, Joel Dresang, engineered by Jason Scuglik) Week in Review (March 23-27, 2026) Significant Economic Indicators & Reports Monday A drop in residential building in January led a slight decline in U.S. construction spending. The Commerce Department reported a 0.3% drop in overall building expenditures. Housing, which accounts for more than 40% of all construction spending, fell nearly 1%, while manufacturing — about 9% of expenditures — declined 2%. Compared to January 2025, overall construction spending rose 1%, with housing up 2% and manufacturing down 15%. Tuesday The Bureau of Labor Statistics revised fourth quarter worker productivity growth to a 1.8% annual rate from a previous estimate of 2.8%. Output weakened to a 1.5% pace from an earlier estimate of 2.6%. In both estimates, the number of hours worked dropped 0.2%. Year to year, productivity rose 2.1% from 2024 to 2025. That was on pace with the current business cycle, which started at the end of 2019. The all-time average since 1947 is 2.2%. Productivity in the previous cycle, which included the Great Recession, averaged 1.5%. Wednesday No major announcements Thursday The four-week moving average for initial unemployment claims fell for the fourth week in a row and the fifth time in six weeks. Data from the Labor Department shows the moving average down 42% from its historic average since 1967. The lack of layoffs suggests continued employer reluctance to let workers go in a tight job market. Total jobless claims dropped 1.9% from the week before to 2.1 million, which was 0.8% behind the same time in 2025. Friday Consumer sentiment declined nearly 6% in March as the U.S.-Israel war in Iran lowered outlooks while raising expectations for inflation. Sentiment was 6.5% lower than in March 2025. Consumer forecasts for inflation rose the most since the announcement of tariff increases last April. Economists see sentiment as an indication of consumer spending, which drives about 70% of U.S. economic activity. According to the University of Michigan survey, consumers expect effects from the war to be worse in the short run, but that’s subject to how long the war lasts and the impact of higher oil prices. About one-third of the survey came before the war began. Market Closings for the Week Nasdaq – 20948, down 699 points or 3.2% S&P 500 – 6369, down 138 points or 2.1% Dow Jones Industrial Average – 45167, down 410 points or 0.9% 10-year U.S. Treasury Note – 4.44%, up 0.05 point
In the world of journalism, it's a truth that we can tend to focus on the negative. "Safe airplane landings aren't news," the adage goes. There's a reason for that. The proverbial airplanes are supposed to land safely. When they don't, and when people and property are hurt, we want to know what happened, and why it happened, and who is responsible. Sometimes, though, it behooves us to talk about the planes that land safely. When we report about economic development programs, we tend to focus on the fails. The marginal companies that gobbled up lots of public dollars and then went out of business, or got preferential treatment because they were owned and operated by someone related to someone else in a position of power in government. We need to tell those stories, but sometimes we also need to tell the success stories. Peter Chamberlain is the founder and CEO of WalkWise, a North Dakota-based startup that sells a product that attaches to the walkers and canes of the elderly and infirm, allowing family and medical professionals to track activity, monitor movement, and be alerted when there might be a problem. Chamberlain doesn't have any strong roots in North Dakota. What drew his business and his family here was the opportunities made available by the state's economic development efforts. "This is the world's first and only smart mobility aid attachment," Chamberlain told us of his product on this episode of Plain Talk. "I feel very confident in saying I would not be here today, WalkWise would not exist today, if it weren't for the programs that exist in North Dakota, that frankly don't exist other places," he added. "Life's good in North Dakota." It's not just the direct investment and support he's received through endeavors like the Legacy Fund's in-state investment program. Chamberlain also credits "ecosystem builders" working in the Commerce Department and elsewhere who helped him connect with people and other businesses, including a manufacturer in tiny Cayuga, North Dakota, where the WorkWise product is made. He emphasized how much he likes working with a local manufacturer because he can physically visit the plant and the owners are "invested personally" in the product's success. Also on this episode, me and co-host Chad Oban talk about the upcoming NDGOP convention, the party's efforts to keep me from attending to report on the event, and whether political parties ought to continue to have special access to the state ballot. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive
In the world of journalism, it's a truth that we can tend to focus on the negative. "Safe airplane landings aren't news," the adage goes. There's a reason for that. The proverbial airplanes are supposed to land safely. When they don't, and when people and property are hurt, we want to know what happened, and why it happened, and who is responsible. Sometimes, though, it behooves us to talk about the planes that land safely. When we report about economic development programs, we tend to focus on the fails. The marginal companies that gobbled up lots of public dollars and then went out of business, or got preferential treatment because they were owned and operated by someone related to someone else in a position of power in government. We need to tell those stories, but sometimes we also need to tell the success stories. Peter Chamberlain is the founder and CEO of WalkWise, a North Dakota-based startup that sells a product that attaches to the walkers and canes of the elderly and infirm, allowing family and medical professionals to track activity, monitor movement, and be alerted when there might be a problem. Chamberlain doesn't have any strong roots in North Dakota. What drew his business and his family here was the opportunities made available by the state's economic development efforts. "This is the world's first and only smart mobility aid attachment," Chamberlain told us of his product on this episode of Plain Talk. "I feel very confident in saying I would not be here today, WalkWise would not exist today, if it weren't for the programs that exist in North Dakota, that frankly don't exist other places," he added. "Life's good in North Dakota." It's not just the direct investment and support he's received through endeavors like the Legacy Fund's in-state investment program. Chamberlain also credits "ecosystem builders" working in the Commerce Department and elsewhere who helped him connect with people and other businesses, including a manufacturer in tiny Cayuga, North Dakota, where the WorkWise product is made. He emphasized how much he likes working with a local manufacturer because he can physically visit the plant and the owners are "invested personally" in the product's success. Also on this episode, me and co-host Chad Oban talk about the upcoming NDGOP convention, the party's efforts to keep me from attending to report on the event, and whether political parties ought to continue to have special access to the state ballot. If you want to participate in Plain Talk, just give us a call or text at 701-587-3141. It's super easy — leave your message, tell us your name and where you're from, and we might feature it on an upcoming episode. To subscribe to Plain Talk, search for the show wherever you get your podcasts or use one of the links below. Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Pocket Casts | Episode Archive
Advisors on This Week's Show Tom Pappenfus Dave Sandstrom (with Max Hoelzl, Joel Dresang, engineered by Jason Scuglik) Week in Review (March 16-20, 2026) Significant Economic Indicators & Reports Monday U.S. industrial production rose 0.2% in February, following a 0.7% gain in January, according to the Federal Reserve. Manufacturing output also increased 0.2%, led by automotive products. In the last year, total production advanced 1.4% while manufacturing rose 1.3%. The capacity utilization rate, considered a leading indicator of inflation, was unchanged in February, staying at 76.3%, well below the long-term average. Tuesday Prospects for home sellers brightened slightly in February with a bump up in the pending home sales index from the National Association of Realtors. The trade group said its index rose 1.8% from January and 0.8% from the year before, though it still stood about 28% below the 2001 index, which the Realtors consider to be a normal sales level. The association credited improved affordability for the rise in pending sales. It also said affordability could be threatened by a “sluggish” job market and rising energy costs stemming from the war in Iran. Wednesday Wholesale inflation rose more than analysts expected in February with the highest jump in goods prices since August 2023. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said its Producer Price Index rose 0.7% from January. It was up 3.4% from the year before, the most in a year. Excluding volatile prices for food, energy and trade services, the core PPI rose 0.5% from January and was 3.5% higher than the year before. Demand for U.S. manufactured goods rose in January for the fourth time in six months. The Commerce Department reported that new orders for factory goods grew by 0.1% from December and were 3.5% ahead of their level in January 2025. Gains were led by commercial aircraft orders, which offset declines in automotive and military aircraft. Excluding the volatile transportation category, orders rose 0.4% for the month and 0.6% for the year. Core capital goods orders, a proxy for business investments, rose 0.1% from December and 2.9% from the year before. As widely anticipated, the policy-making committee of the Federal Reserve Board voted to hold short-term interest rates steady. After a two-day meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee noted that inflation continued to run above the Fed’s 2% target, although the economy appeared to be expanding at a solid pace and the labor market showed little change since the last meeting. Thursday The four-week moving average for initial unemployment claims fell for the third time in four weeks to 42% below its average since 1967. The Labor Department report suggested continued reluctance among employers to let workers go. Total jobless claims dropped 3.4% from the week before to just under 2.2 million, which was 0.3% behind the same time in 2025. The market for new houses sank to its slowest pace in more than three years in January. The annual rate of new residential sales fell nearly 18% from December and was the lowest since October 2022, the Commerce Department reported. As a result, the inventory of unsold new houses rose to a 9.7 months' supply. The median price for a new house fell 6.8% from the year before to $400,500. Friday No major announcements Market Closings for the Week Nasdaq – 21648, down 458 points or 2.1% S&P 500 – 6506, down 126 points or 1.9% Dow Jones Industrial Average – 45577, down 981 points or 2.1% 10-year U.S. Treasury Note – 4.39%, up 0.11 point
Kevin covers the following stories: the Federal Reserve announces their decision on interest rates; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the Producer Price Index and Core Producer Price Index; the U.S. Commerce Department's Census Bureau reported New Factory Orders; this past Monday, the U.S. Transportation Department's, rules regarding asylum seekers, refugees, DACA recipients obtaining CDLs went into effect; Kevin has the details, sifts through the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Exploring Bogus oil prices Hold cow – look at what Gemini and JSD can do… Markets needed good news – Correlation high Fed on hold? PLUS we are now on Spotify and Amazon Music/Podcasts! Click HERE for Show Notes and Links DHUnplugged is now streaming live - with listener chat. Click on link on the right sidebar. Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter Warm-Up - Bogus Oil Prices - Look at what Gemini and JSD can do... - Markets needed good news - Correlation high - Fed on hold? - JCD LIMERICK! Markets - Did we just correct? - Inflation - Eco that matters - Manipulation in Oil - Land? John Dvorak Jr. - Guest - UPDATE ON JCD - AH Spoke with JCD Saturday.... Oil Prices - Bogus? - The price of oil in the middle east is at $140 for its land-locked price, but ocean traveling oil is at $100. - Sort, of, opposite of what you'd expect? - But, then there's been active conversation and warning about manipulating oil futures to manage the situation. - Oil in Backwardation across the spectrum. (Current price of oil contract is $95 and December contract is $75) Oil Prices may be BOGUS - But What About Gas? Gas Prices More Manipulation - The Trump administration has discussed trading in the oil futures market as a strategy to help curb surging crude prices amid the war in Iran, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. - US would just sell future contracts and then deliver at those prices at the end of the contract date. (SPR/Venezuela?) - Not sure how markets will take an intervention like that. - Remember when short selling was banned on Financials back in the 2008 ----Stock prices continued to fall during the ban and tended to stabilize only after it was lifted, suggesting the ban did not stop the decline. ------ Seems that when government intervenes in free markets they can set off more panic as the optics make it look even worse. ---- AND- Russian Oil sanctions partially removed Inflation and ECO - PCE Prices stay elevated - GDP rose at a seasonally and inflation-adjusted annual rate of just 0.7% in the fourth quarter, according to a Commerce Department revision Friday. - The first revision of the GDP reading was a sharp step down from the previous estimate of 1.4% and well below the Dow Jones consensus forecast for 1.5%. - The core PCE inflation rose 0.4% in January and 3.1% on a 12-month basis. The ex-food and energy reading was 0.1 percentage point higher than December. Eco Table Oil Models...Very Cool - JSD - Explain - https://gemini.google.com/share/d1427a61a804 Department of Defense, err War, is hiring - The Pentagon is hiring financial 'defense', or is that a financial warfare unit? - This may mean we're beginning to really adopt "Unrestricted Warfare (???) ----- ie: The Chinese strategy where the warfare model is extended to include social engineering, illicit trade, and finance operations. - Isn't this already in play? Tariffs, Straits of Hormuz, Asset Seizure (Russian Yachts), Venezuelan Oil???? --- This is why Quantum is in play too...(offense and defense) Did you know? - 30% of Helium production comes from Qatar - Qatar helium production stopped back on March 2nd, and is ~30% of all helium globally - South Korea depends almost entirely on helium from the strait of Hormuz, with 65% from Qatar specifically - Semiconductor manufacturing - - Wafer/equipment cooling — High thermal conductivity removes heat fast during lithography, etching, deposition, and other steps; critical for precise temp control and smaller chip nodes (no good substitutes). - - Inert purging & atmospheres — Chemically inert; flushes systems, prevents unwanted reactions in annealing, deposition, or vacuum chambers. -- - Plasma processes — Acts as carrier, diluent, or purge gas in plasma etching for precise circuit patterning. - - Leak detection — Tiny atoms detect micro-leaks in tools, pipelines, and vacuum systems to ensure reliability. - - Backside wafer cooling — Delivers stable cooling to silicon wafers in advanced fabs. INDIA! Running out of Gas - Does it matter? - India maintains only a 25 day reserve of oil - Good news for them that they use coal for electricity generation, and only use oil for transportation - BUT BUT BUT, What about getting goods from one place to another in India? -- FWIW - coal prices up 19% YTD in India Back to this... - AI not causing job losses - WHAT ABOUT META? - Meta's stock climbed after Reuters reported the social media giant is planning to lay off over 20% of its 79,000 employees to balance AI-related spending. Drone Warfare - New Warfare fought like games - Ender's Game Movie - Length: 3.5 meters (about 11.5 feet) Wingspan: 2.5 meters (about 8.2 feet) Weight (total takeoff/mass): Approximately 200 kg (around 440 pounds) Warhead/payload: Typically 40–50 kg explosive (some variants up to 90 kg with reduced fuel/range) --- Usage ~ 2,000 per day in Iran an peak of 10,000 per day in Ukraine/Russia Gaming Industry - DOA? See above - no wonder why - it is IRL now - Q1 continues sharp decline in video game sales - Older gamers: new AAA titles heavily cannibalized by old games - Gen Z & Alpha mostly play only Roblox (144M DAU), Fortnite (60M DAU), or Minecraft (11M DAU) - Young gamers rarely buy new AAA titles or consoles - Industry “growth” driven purely by subscriptions & upsells — no real sales increase - Hardware far below peaks: PS2 sold 160M, Nintendo DS 154M vs Switch 2 only 17M (original Switch lifetime 114M) - AI failing to cut costs for big studios — Roblox capturing all the upside - Roblox launches Incubator & Jumpstart programs for kids using AI “vibe-coding” to chase millionaire status INTERACTIVE BROKERS Check this out and find out more at: http://www.interactivebrokers.com/ Target Earnings - Target posted another quarter of falling revenue and customer traffic at its stores, though its shares rose as the retailer's earnings beat estimates and it said it is poised to end its sales slump. - Earnings per share: $2.44 adjusted vs. $2.16 expected - Revenue: $30.45 billion vs. $30.48 billion expected - Target said it expects full-year adjusted earnings per share to range from $7.50 to $8.50. Its adjusted earnings per share for the most recent full year were $7.57. - Shares up 7% in a piss poor tape Love the Show? Then how about a Donation? THE CLOSEST TO THE PIN for CATERPILLAR Winners will be getting great stuff like the new "OFFICIAL" DHUnplugged Shirt! FED AND CRYPTO LIMERICKS There is a tech pundit whose name be John, Whose sharp takes went late into dawn. He hit pause for some care, But with grit (and repair), Soon he'll be back oh so steady and strong. See this week's stock picks HERE Follow John C. Dvorak on Twitter Follow Andrew Horowitz on Twitter
Kevin covers the following stories: weather is back in the news; oil and gas prices react to the weekend events in Iran, the U. S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis released their second estimate of 4th quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 4th quarter consumer spending, business investment, exports, personal consumption and core personal consumption expenditures, durable goods orders; recently, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon spoke about how AI is reshaping their workforce and how it may affect the nation's workforce; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covers the following stories: the U.S. Labor Department released the Weekly Jobless Claims and Continuing Jobless Claims; the U.S. Commerce Department reported January Housing Starts for single family and multi-family homes; also the Commerce Department reported Building Permits for single and multifamily homes; data from major Less Than Truckload (LTL) carriers indicates shipment and tonnage trends early in the first quarter of 2026; oil prices react to new threats from Iran's new Supreme Leader in a message read out on state television by a news anchor; Kevin has the details, digs into the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kevin covered the following stories: oil prices fluctuate wildly on news from the Iran war; the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the February Nonfarm payroll numbers, the unemployment rate and wage growth: the Panama Canal Authority reported revenue for the first five months of their fiscal year; the U.S. Commerce Department reported January retail sales; Kevin has the details, sorts through the data, puts the information into historical perspective, offers his insights and opinions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Anthropic's relationships with other federal contractors face irreparable harm following the Trump administration's governmentwide ban on the company and determination that it's a “supply-chain risk,” the Claude maker said in a lawsuit filed in a federal district court Monday. The legal challenge against the Pentagon, as well as multiple federal agencies and officials, seeks immediate and injunctive relief from President Donald Trump's directive banning the company from government use and the Department of Defense's designation of the company as a supply-chain risk. Among its arguments, Anthropic alleges the actions violate federal administrative procedure law, the company's right to free speech, and are beyond existing legal authority. The lawsuit also provides new details about the ramifications for Anthropic's work with other companies contracting with the federal government. At least one federal contractor that Anthropic has worked with to build custom applications has already “indicated that it may suspend that work or even remove Claude from existing deployments,” and others the company has worked with “are raising concerns, pausing collaborations, and considering terminating contracts,” according to the lawsuit. “Anthropic has no way to obtain redress from the government for those economic harms,” the company said. It estimated the actions by the Trump administration could jeopardize “hundreds of millions of dollars in the near term.” This one's also related to the government's ban of Anthropic, and the Secret Service can be added to the list of federal agencies or offices that said they won't use the company's Claude tool. The Department of Homeland Security component had used Anthropic's Claude models for code generation, a focus area for many organizations, according to Secret Service CIO and Chief AI Officer Chris Kraft. “That application does have the ability to leverage Claude models … but they're easy to change out,” Kraft said. “There's a whole list of a bunch of different models that you can choose from, and we will follow the guidance and leverage other models.” The Secret Service joins a growing group of agencies that are phasing out Anthropic's technology following the company's clash with the Department of Defense in late February. Software developers at the Treasury Department had been using Claude Code, though Secretary Scott Bessent said last week that the agency is terminating use. The Office of Personnel Management, NASA, the Commerce Department, the General Services Administration and Department of Health and Human Services are untangling Anthropic from AI use cases, if they haven't stopped using Claude already. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.
Taiwanese exports to the United States surpassed those from China in December, according to the Commerce Department. It's the first time in decades that this has happened. Let's discuss the reasons, as well as the implications for the future of trade in the region.
© 2020-2026 Ivy Podcast Discovery LLC
