Name: Trump States Help is On Its Way to Iranian Protesters | Balance of Power 01/13/2026
Uploaded: 2026-01-14T01:03:49+00:00
Duration: 2871 s

Speakers

Mike Sommers — President & CEO, American Petroleum Institute

Romaine Bostick — Anchor, Bloomberg

Chris Coons — Senator, US Senate

Mike Dorning — Capital Influence Team Lead, Bloomberg

Karim Sadjadpour — Senior Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Summary

The episode covers President Trump's remarks on Iranian protests and economic policy, including tariffs and a credit-card rate cap, plus a congressional delegation to Copenhagen. Guests discuss the DOJ investigation into the Fed, Iran's protest movement and connectivity, and Venezuela's oil investment outlook. API CEO Mike Sommers highlights a demand decade for oil and gas while cautioning on Venezuela prerequisites, and early earnings commentary focuses on Delta, JPMorgan, and L3Harris.

Trump urges Iranian protesters to keep protesting and says help is on the way.
Senator Chris Coons discusses Iran, Greenland, tariffs, and affordability.
DOJ review of Fed renovation fuels Republican pushback over Fed independence.
Karim Sadjadpour says Iran's regime and U.S. credibility are on the line.
API CEO Mike Sommers sees a long-term energy demand decade and conditional Venezuela opportunity.
Early earnings season brings disappointing results from JPMorgan and Delta.
L3Harris's government investment raises questions about government involvement.
Political panel discusses Bill Clinton's subpoena defiance and affordability politics.

Ideas

Chris Coons Senator, US Senate 7:46

U.S. policy risks foreign Treasury demand

Coons warns that Trump's attacks on Fed independence and rhetoric around Greenland are eroding the rule of law and predictability that make the U.S. attractive to foreign capital. He says this raises the risk of recession because other countries may stop being interested in buying Treasuries or investing in the U.S. economy.

Romaine Bostick Anchor, Bloomberg 16:14

JPMorgan fee-underwriting slowdown disappoints

Bostick says JPMorgan disappointed in an early earnings report, pointing to a potential slowdown in its fee underwriting business and the costs of building up technology capabilities.

Romaine Bostick Anchor, Bloomberg 16:30

Delta pressured by weak forecast, travel geopolitics

Bostick says Delta Air Lines' earnings forecast disappointed and surprised investors because the CEO had recently been bullish on travel. On the call, Delta highlighted geopolitics hurting inbound foreign travel to the U.S., particularly from Canada and China, which pressured the shares.

Romaine Bostick Anchor, Bloomberg 17:22

L3Harris government stake raises investor skepticism

Bostick discusses the U.S. government's $1 billion convertible preferred investment in L3Harris's missile unit. Management says the government will have no voting stake, board seat, or day-to-day role, but investors are skeptical about government involvement and the longer-term consequences, leaving the stock barely higher despite the news.

Mike Dorning Capital Influence Team Lead, Bloomberg 29:22

Fed politicization risks inflation, dollar confidence

Dorning says establishment Republicans are legitimately concerned that the DOJ investigation into the Fed and the broader politicization of monetary policy could lead to long-term inflation and cause investors to lose confidence in the U.S. dollar over time.

Mike Sommers President & CEO, American Petroleum Institute 33:56

Chevron best positioned for Venezuela oil restart

Sommers says Venezuela is not attractive to invest in right now because it lacks rule of law and security guarantees, but it has huge heavy-oil resources in the Orinoco Belt that U.S. refineries can process. The easiest barrels to bring online are where Chevron already operates; Chevron has been there over 100 years and could restore about 100,000 barrels/day, though broader investment depends on prerequisites and will take time.

Mike Sommers President & CEO, American Petroleum Institute 35:04

Demand decade favors oil, gas, U.S. producers

Sommers describes a 'demand decade' in which energy demand is rising through the roof, especially from data centers and states turning to natural gas, so more oil and more natural gas will be needed. He argues the base of supply will come from the U.S., where supportive administration policy and permitting reform can enable more production in the right regions and at the right price.

Trump States Help is On Its Way to Iranian Protesters | Balance of Power 01/13/2026

Summary

Ideas

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