EPISODE · Apr 17, 2026 · 27 MIN
Why is Trump blockading Iran's blockade? This is the crazy, and dangerous, US strategy
from Geopolitical Economy Report · host Ben Norton
The peace talks held between the US and Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan failed. Despite a temporary, two-week ceasefire Donald Trump announced a naval blockade of the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Ben Norton explains the USA's strategy, and how it is targeting China and Asian economies that import oil, natural gas, and other important commodities from the Persian Gulf. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDH5qMZSPm4 Topics 0:00 Peace talks in Pakistan fail 1:07 Trump blockades the blockade 2:53 Iran trolls the US 3:45 Trump's contradictory posts 6:12 Ceasefire 6:51 Israeli attack on Lebanon 8:17 Trump threatens Iran 9:45 Trump targets Cuba 10:38 Strait of Hormuz 11:41 Iran toll challenges petrodollar 13:12 Logic behind US blockade 14:01 Scott Bessent threatens China 15:31 USA targets China's oil supply 16:29 China condemns US blockade 17:06 Dangers of escalation 18:38 Chinese tankers 20:37 China's oil reserves 21:11 China's supply chain shocks 22:59 Trump wants leverage 24:09 The US is losing the war 26:25 Iran's message to Trump 27:45 Outro
What this episode covers
The peace talks held between the US and Iran in Islamabad, Pakistan failed. Despite a temporary, two-week ceasefire Donald Trump announced a naval blockade of the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Ben Norton explains the USA's strategy, and how it is targeting China and Asian economies that import oil, natural gas, and other important commodities from the Persian Gulf. VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDH5qMZSPm4 Topics 0:00 Peace talks in Pakistan fail 1:07 Trump blockades the blockade 2:53 Iran trolls the US 3:45 Trump's contradictory posts 6:12 Ceasefire 6:51 Israeli attack on Lebanon 8:17 Trump threatens Iran 9:45 Trump targets Cuba 10:38 Strait of Hormuz 11:41 Iran toll challenges petrodollar 13:12 Logic behind US blockade 14:01 Scott Bessent threatens China 15:31 USA targets China's oil supply 16:29 China condemns US blockade 17:06 Dangers of escalation 18:38 Chinese tankers 20:37 China's oil reserves 21:11 China's supply chain shocks 22:59 Trump wants leverage 24:09 The US is losing the war 26:25 Iran's message to Trump 27:45 Outro
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Why is Trump blockading Iran's blockade? This is the crazy, and dangerous, US strategy
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