Michael is joined by Clay Seigle, Managing Director of Beacon Global Strategies' newly announced energy practice and former James R. Schlesinger Chair at CSIS, for an expert briefing on volatile global energy markets. Clay breaks down the economic dynamics underpinning $90-a-barrel oil, explaining how the ongoing standoff in the Strait of Hormuz, presidential messaging, and severe global refining bottlenecks are driving price fluctuations. He also analyzes the impact of Ukraine's drone strikes on Russian fuel throughput and examines the broader implications of tightening global diesel markets. Turning to the Western Hemisphere, Clay assesses the long-term feasibility and legal complexities of new U.S. investment frameworks for upgrading Venezuela's heavy sour crude resources. Finally, he highlights critical flashpoints to watch, including commercial shipping risks across the Red Sea.

Michael is joined by Yaakov Katz, former Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post and author of While Israel Slept: How Hamas Surprised the Most Powerful Military in the Middle East, for an assessment of the Israeli perspective following months of joint strikes on Iran with the U.S. Yaakov explains the political impact of the war in Israel and the origins of the widening diplomatic daylight between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Washington. He also previews the upcoming Israeli elections, analyzing Netanyahu's fight for political survival against a surging opposition led by former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot. Finally, Yaakov evaluates the operational stalemate in Gaza, conditions surrounding the Board of Peace's 15-point disarmament plan, and the enduring challenges to long-term stability.

Michael is joined by Richard Fontaine, CEO of the Center for a New American Security and former National Security Council official, for a strategic tour of the world's most urgent flashpoints. Richard explores the dangerous ripple effects of the Iran conflict across the Middle East, including regional powers hedging toward mutual defense pacts and the strategic costs of an open-ended naval commitment. He also evaluates recent friction in the U.S.–South Korea alliance, the pitfalls of personality-driven diplomacy with North Korea, and how military redeployments to the Middle East have left the U.S. with zero aircraft carriers currently in the Western Pacific. Finally, he and Michael examine the protracted battlefield dynamics in Ukraine, the ambiguity surrounding Washington's endgame with Moscow, and the deepening operational ties within the "Axis of Upheaval"—China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran—urging a coordinated strategy to defend frontline states without falling into regional distractions.