Ep 69: The Sundown Empire

Our age of Oil is collapsing. Support the channel for early accesspatreon.com/CollapseTalkPod

The United States and Israel continue their assault on Iran as the global economy strains under the greatest oil supply crash since the energy crisis of the 70s.For early ad-free access support the program on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠.

World War III begins.For early ad-free access support the program on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠⁠.

Venezuelan President Maduro is captured in a surprise Delta Force raid. Now the oil-rich South American nation faces the prospect of further retaliation, as acting President Delcy Rodriguez normalizes relations while condemning the illegal aggression. The United States continues to flex its imperial control in the western hemisphere, yet faces its greatest military challenge since World War II as it wages a misguided "combat operation" against Iran.For early ad-free access support the program on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠.

As the first year of the second Trump administration wraps up, the United States sits at a crossroads both domestically and geopolitically. The assassination of Conservative influencer Charlie Kirk shocked the world and serves to illustrate the epidemic of gun violence that touches every facet of American life. The administration has taken advantage of the moment to strengthen domestic surveillance through national directives, labeling ANTIFA a terrorist organization and “Anti-Christian/American” sentiments as radical left-wing violence. As well as domestic surveillance, the newly named Department of War under secretary Hegseth seeks to overdrive the US military into a “war-fighting” footing as concerns over operations in Venezuela intensify. For early ad-free access support the program on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠.

A summer of turmoil and near-total war as Iran and Israel trade shots, as the conflict between the two rivals almost plunges the world into a destructive war and total shutdown of oil trade in the region. As Israel accuses Iran of nearly building a nuclear weapon the US, under President Trump, carries out a strike against nuclear facilities. The first direct American military action carried out against the Islamic Republic. Although there is a pause in fighting for the moment, a new round of fighting is likely to follow, with even worse consequences for the global economy. In the US as well, President Trump passed the so-called "Big Beautiful Bill", which will have far-reaching economic effects, such as cuts to Medicaid and SNAP services.For early ad-free access support the program on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠

Uncertainty grows as the second Trump administration becomes increasingly unhinged in its pursuit of mass deportations and tariffs that threaten to destabilize global markets. As trade partners seek stability, they look to China, which the United States considers an archrival in economic influence. Despite negotiations and a temporary cut in tariff rates, the threat of a full-blown trade war between the economic giants exists but remains somewhat distant. The humanitarian crisis in Gaza escalates as Israel launches a new offensive and carries out initial "aid efforts" to collect the Palestinian population and displace them to proposed countries like Libya. Further conflicts intensify as Russia conducts its largest missile attack against Ukraine and skirmishes erupt between India and Pakistan in the partitioned Kashmir region.For early ad-free access support the program on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon

The first three months of Trump's second administration have been rife with controversy and unprecedented challenges to the limits of executive authority. Reports of detentions and deportations of protected immigrants and the trafficking of migrants to El Salvador's megaprison, CECOT, raise fears as Trump openly flirts with ideas of deporting American citizens. Global markets are thrown into uncertainty as tariffs upset trade relations, which serves as an implicit extortion tactic for the US to pressure trade partners to step away from China as they grow to overtake global markets.For early ad-free access support the program on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon

The first month of President Trump's second term has brought a bureaucratic shake up in collaboration with Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Long-held fears over the fate of agencies like the Department of Education, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Weather Service come to life as they face severe cuts or total abolition. Further shakes up in foreign policy call into question geopolitical commitments such as Ukraine and Taiwan.For early ad-free access support the program on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠