1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:10,600 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. You're listening to the 2 00:00:10,600 --> 00:00:14,560 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Intelligence podcast. Catch us live weekdays at ten am. 3 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:17,239 Speaker 1: He's done on Apple, Cocklay and Android Auto with the 4 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Business app. Listen on demand wherever you get your podcasts, 5 00:00:21,360 --> 00:00:23,080 Speaker 1: or watch us live on YouTube. 6 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 2: All about the geopolitics front and center here, But there 7 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 2: are earnings. Companies reporting earnings, and one of the companies 8 00:00:30,640 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 2: we want to focus on here is Target because it 9 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 2: goes to the consumer. Here Emily con joins his consumer 10 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 2: team leader for Bloomberg News. Target reporters cenumbers is some 11 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:42,639 Speaker 2: better than expected profit for the full year. 12 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 3: What you learn from the Target and what's the management saying? 13 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 4: So on management, it's important to remember this is a 14 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 4: new CEO, Michael Fidelki's first earnings call, and there's some 15 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 4: optimism here. There's an upbeat forecast on the coming years 16 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:05,040 Speaker 4: and tease talking about this improving the store experience and 17 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 4: bringing shoppers back with that cheap chic appeal that the 18 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 4: that the stores have definitely lost in recent years. So 19 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 4: the stock is responding quite positively. 20 00:01:16,680 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 5: I love the term cheap chic. I do agree that 21 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 5: when I go to Target, I find some quirky fines 22 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 5: and I'm like, is this really this cheap? But how 23 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 5: does Target plant to differentiate itself from competitors like Walmart 24 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:32,399 Speaker 5: and Amazon, especially as consumers remain price sensitive and their 25 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,040 Speaker 5: spending is shifting towards more essential so not anymore they're 26 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:37,199 Speaker 5: random things that. 27 00:01:37,360 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 4: Totally find Yeah, you nailed it. I mean what we 28 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 4: What Target used to do really well is you'd go 29 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:45,479 Speaker 4: in for some rolls of toilet paper and you'd come 30 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 4: out with sweatshirts and sweatpants and fun things that you 31 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:50,960 Speaker 4: didn't know you needed. That was that tarje appeal. It 32 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:54,720 Speaker 4: attracted wealthier clients to Target. That was its advantage over 33 00:01:54,760 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 4: Walmart for many years. It's lost that appeal. A big 34 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 4: part of it is partnership. So we heard Fidelki just 35 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,960 Speaker 4: now speaking about increasing the pace of partnerships. They have 36 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 4: a partnership with Roller Rabbit and more to come. That's 37 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 4: part of it, bringing in brands that you know and 38 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 4: love into Target at a at a good price point. 39 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 4: They have a partnership with other partnerships with other brands 40 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 4: coming out over the course of the year. I think 41 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,320 Speaker 4: that's part of the way they want to differentiate themselves 42 00:02:25,320 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 4: for sure. Food and beverage we heard about this morning too. 43 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 3: What do they really compete against day to day do 44 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 3: you think? 45 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:38,480 Speaker 4: I mean, I think it's obviously Walmart and Amazon. I 46 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 4: think one of the reasons Target is struggling right now 47 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 4: is because they haven't invested as much in grocery as 48 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 4: Walmart has. So one of the reasons that Walmart is 49 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 4: seeing higher income shoppers come to Walmart increasingly is because 50 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 4: they've made their grocery section a lot more appealing. There's 51 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 4: you can find organic there, you can find a lot 52 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 4: of fresh products. You go to Target, it it's just 53 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 4: not there. So I think with you're going to increasingly 54 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 4: see Target try to get more competitive in the grocery aisles, 55 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:12,800 Speaker 4: which would put it up against lots of other grocery companies. 56 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 5: So does Target then plan to expand their food and 57 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 5: essential assortments to I don't know, maybe stabilized traffic or 58 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 5: do you think it'll double down on more discretionary or 59 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:25,239 Speaker 5: style lad categories. 60 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:27,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think we'll see, we'll see a bit of both. 61 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 4: I think that they called out beauty and food and 62 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 4: beverage this morning as some bright spots, and I think 63 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 4: we'd expect to see. 64 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 6: More of that. 65 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 2: So what's Target saying about their consumer? How's their consumer behaving? 66 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean the word of the you know that 67 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 4: we're still seeing like very picky consumers who aren't spending 68 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:58,040 Speaker 4: as much in the discretionary categories. So I think Target 69 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 4: is focusing on what it can do to bring people back. 70 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 4: The CEO just said that they're going to be investing 71 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 4: in hiring more workers and raising pay. That's pretty key 72 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 4: to making the stores more enjoyable to shop in. 73 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 2: Because that's what Alexis Christophers was saying earlier about her 74 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 2: Target experiences. 75 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 3: Not enough help on the floors. 76 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:22,799 Speaker 2: That's something that's a shared concern among this company aware 77 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 2: that kind of is. 78 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 4: It sounded like it. I mean raising pay is key. 79 00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:29,279 Speaker 4: I think you know, there's going to spend a billion 80 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:34,680 Speaker 4: dollars on making the stores more pleasant. I think they 81 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 4: laid off a lot of corporate employees to you know, 82 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 4: perhaps that investment is going into making the stores better. So, yeah, 83 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:47,919 Speaker 4: that is a problem. Slow lines, lots of things locked 84 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 4: up in cages when you. 85 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 3: Try to don't get Matt Miller started all the stuff, gosh. 86 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 2: I know. 87 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 5: So then with a new CEO, any cultural or operational 88 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 5: changes that signaled that the company truly turning a page 89 00:05:02,040 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 5: after recent challenges, because you have probably skeptic saying maybe 90 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 5: this is a one off. 91 00:05:07,560 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, we've seen he's been in the job 92 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 4: for a month, we've seen a reshuffling in leadership, we've 93 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 4: seen some layoffs. But where you know, the company is 94 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,520 Speaker 4: hosting its investor day later today, so we're hoping to 95 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,039 Speaker 4: learn more about what that turnaround strategy is and any 96 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 4: specifics on new initiatives. How big are these investments and stores. 97 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 4: Those are the things we're looking for later today with 98 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 4: the event that's kicking off shortly. 99 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 7: Stay with us. More from Bloomberg Intelligence coming up after this. 100 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Bloomberg Intelligence podcast. Catch us live 101 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 1: weekdays at ten am. He's done on Apple, cocklay and 102 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 1: Android Auto with the Bloomberg Business App. Listen on demand 103 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts, or watch us live on YouTube. 104 00:05:57,080 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 2: This military conflict in the Mid East cannot be good 105 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:04,239 Speaker 2: for logistics, the global supply chain, all that kind of stuff. 106 00:06:04,279 --> 00:06:06,280 Speaker 2: We learned about this. Every time there's something wrong in 107 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 2: the world, it impacts global trade, which means we need 108 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,800 Speaker 2: to check in with Lee Glasgow, Senior transport Logistics and 109 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 2: shipping analysts for Bloomberg Intelligence. 110 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 7: Lee, what do you make here of what we're. 111 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:19,919 Speaker 2: Seeing in the Middle East and how it may impact 112 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 2: global trade? How are you thinking about it? 113 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 6: Yeah, so, I mean, at the end of the day, 114 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:27,760 Speaker 6: it's going to put upward pressure on rates because there's 115 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,719 Speaker 6: now a premium on capacity, especially as it relates to 116 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 6: the tanker industry. We've seen tanker rates get closed to 117 00:06:35,360 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 6: almost five hundred thousand dollars a day. That is just 118 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:41,839 Speaker 6: being driven by the fact that people want oil, they're 119 00:06:41,839 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 6: going to have to pay to get it. And the 120 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,800 Speaker 6: ripple effect really for my world because you know, I 121 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 6: cover marine shipping, air freight guys, and also the folks 122 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 6: here in the US, the railroads and trucking companies, the 123 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 6: biggest impact is going to be the inflationary aspect and 124 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 6: the higher decail prices. When diesel prices rise significantly, it 125 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 6: tends to weigh on margins because there is a lag 126 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 6: effect on the fuel search charges that they charge their customers. 127 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 6: So you're going to see margins getting pressed. And also 128 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 6: the you know, the one two punch from that is 129 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:22,360 Speaker 6: going to be if consumers have less discritionary money to 130 00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 6: spend on goods. That means it's going to be less 131 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 6: stuff shipped around. So you know, there's really kind of 132 00:07:27,480 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 6: a ripple effect going on with the events unfolding in 133 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 6: the Middle East. 134 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 5: If disruptions persist, do you think we could see supply 135 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 5: chain bottlenecks similar to twenty twenty one to twenty two 136 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 5: And if so, which sectors do you see will be 137 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:43,360 Speaker 5: falling first or will be affected first? 138 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 6: I don't think you're going to see what we saw 139 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 6: during the pandemic, because at the end of the day, 140 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 6: the biggest impact really is the crude and energy markets. 141 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 6: So you know, container aligners that are leaving Asia are 142 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 6: still going to go to southern California to unload their goods. 143 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 6: You know, the only time it's going to become a 144 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 6: problem is that if you know, this is really prolonged 145 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 6: and just people just don't have the energy to manufacture stuff. 146 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 6: But let's hope you don't get there. 147 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 5: What about vessels with vessels stalled and re routing around 148 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 5: choke points? How sharply are fright and tanker rates going 149 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 5: to rise? In your view? 150 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 6: You know, my colleague ken Low out of Singapore, you 151 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 6: just put out a note on the Blueberg terminal earlier 152 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,960 Speaker 6: today and he was calling for over five hundred thousand 153 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 6: dollars a day and time traiter rates. 154 00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:36,040 Speaker 8: Again. 155 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:39,440 Speaker 6: You know what, it's not so much the diversion, it's 156 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 6: the kind of the demand. So people are willing to 157 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,280 Speaker 6: pay up high. A lot of insurance companies are no 158 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 6: longer insuring in the region. So, uh, the you know, 159 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,440 Speaker 6: the straight of her Moves is pretty much you know, 160 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:51,720 Speaker 6: the right the Persian Gulf and the strade of her 161 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 6: Moves is pretty much shut down no matter what the 162 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:54,320 Speaker 6: Iranians do. 163 00:08:55,080 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 2: Solely, if I'm a FedEx pilot, I'm not flying anywhere 164 00:08:58,280 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 2: near that airspace, so I'm gonna fly around. 165 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 3: It is not going to raise costs for everybody. 166 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,320 Speaker 6: Yeah, and so like the ripple effect, you know, after 167 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 6: the the ocean markets, probably the air markets are most impacted. 168 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 6: A lot of the airspace and the Middle East has 169 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:16,280 Speaker 6: been shut down. A lot of commercial flights are no 170 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 6: longer going in and out. And you know what the 171 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 6: commercial airlines do is, you know, where we put our luggage, 172 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 6: they also take cargo, so that that capacity is not available, 173 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 6: and you know, it is going to impact FedEx UPS 174 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 6: and DHL. DHL is more exposed to the Middle East 175 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 6: than the other two. But you know, I think right 176 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 6: now it's kind of a deminomous impact to UPS and FedEx. 177 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 6: The real question is is how long does this go for? 178 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,319 Speaker 6: You know, is it going to be days, weeks or months? 179 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:51,839 Speaker 6: You know, if it's just going to be weeks, the 180 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 6: impact earnings probably won't be that that significant for the 181 00:09:56,960 --> 00:09:59,760 Speaker 6: FedEx is and the UPS is the world and slightly 182 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,839 Speaker 6: more for DHL. All right then, and then also, you 183 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 6: know a lot of a lot of these businesses, they 184 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 6: have forwarder freightforwarding businesses as well, and when you have 185 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 6: these supply chains disruptions, shippers will lean heavily on the 186 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 6: freightfowarders and help them navigate these new situations. So you 187 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:22,200 Speaker 6: might see, you know, the freightfowarders also could benefit. They 188 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:26,040 Speaker 6: can benefit from a higher rates and be also getting 189 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 6: more customs business. 190 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,439 Speaker 7: Stay with us more from Bloomberg Intelligence coming up after this. 191 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:39,040 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Bloomberg Intelligence podcast. Catch us live 192 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 1: weekdays at ten am Eastern on Apple, Cocklay and Android 193 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: Auto with the Bloomberg Business app. Listen on demand wherever 194 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:48,680 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts or watch US live on YouTube. 195 00:10:49,440 --> 00:10:52,640 Speaker 2: The US Israeli war on Iran has entered its fourth day, 196 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 2: with oil and gas prices surging in. 197 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:55,960 Speaker 3: The world adjusting to a conflict. 198 00:10:56,320 --> 00:10:59,599 Speaker 2: The President Donald Trump says has no fixed timeline, and 199 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 2: now we're see other countries in the region being pulled 200 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 2: into the conflict, with Iranian response. 201 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 3: Hitting a number of countries in the region. 202 00:11:07,559 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 2: Our next guest has twenty years experience working in at 203 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 2: the Middle East through various forms of the US government 204 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,319 Speaker 2: and private practice. Kirsten Fontain Rose joins his heare senior 205 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:21,320 Speaker 2: Fellow at the Atlantic Council, joining us via zoom from Washington, DC. Kirston, 206 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 2: what do you make of the US action against Iran here? 207 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:30,359 Speaker 2: Just from your experience in the State Department in other areas. 208 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,079 Speaker 9: If the question is why are we doing this now 209 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,319 Speaker 9: or why is the US getting involved, there are two answers. 210 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 9: One is that during the talks that people were tracking 211 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,960 Speaker 9: on the nuclearphile, the US team assessed that Iran was 212 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 9: not actually making concessions. We heard encouraging things about movement 213 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 9: being made, but the reality is what Iran was offering 214 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:55,840 Speaker 9: was not to enrich uranium. For three years, this time 215 00:11:55,880 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 9: period is what the International Atomic Energy Agency, the IAEA 216 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:04,320 Speaker 9: told us same timeframe it would take Iran to restore 217 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,640 Speaker 9: their Uranian Richmond if no restrictions were placed on it. 218 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 9: So the US team said, Iran is just toying with us. 219 00:12:11,280 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 9: This is the same delay diplomacy they've been displaying for 220 00:12:13,840 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 9: several US administrations. This is a problem. Back in DC, 221 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 9: the military and the National Security Council and the presidents 222 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 9: and our team said when the regime revealed this, that 223 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 9: they were not willing to truly make concessions on the 224 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:31,560 Speaker 9: nuclear file or on their missile file, even though the 225 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:34,080 Speaker 9: US had a massive military build up on their shores. 226 00:12:34,520 --> 00:12:37,520 Speaker 9: It caused the US administration to say they intend to 227 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 9: build out both programs to the point where the international 228 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 9: community would lose any leverage to negotiate with them. They 229 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 9: would either build up their nuclear program to the extent 230 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:49,760 Speaker 9: that you could no longer safely go after their missile 231 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 9: program kinetically, or they would build up their missile program 232 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:55,440 Speaker 9: to the extent that it made it too risky to 233 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:59,320 Speaker 9: destroy any of their nuclear facilities. So if the current 234 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 9: on their borders was not enough, nothing would be, and 235 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:06,959 Speaker 9: therefore the time was now or never. The other pressure 236 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 9: that was in was the US got signals from Israel 237 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 9: that they were going to strike potentially unilaterally because of 238 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:15,559 Speaker 9: their own feeling of this being a small window of 239 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:19,320 Speaker 9: opportunity and being an existential threat. The US knew that 240 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 9: that would mean that the US would be receiving attacks, 241 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:25,120 Speaker 9: our bases would be on the receiving end, because the 242 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 9: Iranian regime had made it clear that any strike by 243 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:30,160 Speaker 9: Israel would also be considered a strike by the US. 244 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 9: So combine those, then add in sprinkle in intelligence that 245 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:36,679 Speaker 9: told us that there would be clustered meetings of senior 246 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 9: Iranian leadership almost too good to be true, and you 247 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:42,240 Speaker 9: wound up with the recipe for strikes when they happened. 248 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 5: So, with Iran signaling reddiness for a long war, where 249 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:49,199 Speaker 5: does that leave the US when it comes to reshaping 250 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 5: their strategy. We have some people saying it'll be three, 251 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 5: four or five weeks. 252 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 9: It's not really a reshaping. However, the US battle plan 253 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 9: has been laid. You know, these can agencies have been 254 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:02,240 Speaker 9: on the shelf for quite some time, and of course 255 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:05,960 Speaker 9: they've been updated, massively updated. But the intent is to 256 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:09,640 Speaker 9: wipe out the military, wipe out the navy and prevent 257 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 9: Iran from having a nuclear weapon and create a pathway 258 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:17,839 Speaker 9: for the Iranian people to govern themselves, to decide whether 259 00:14:17,880 --> 00:14:20,480 Speaker 9: they want that to be someone new or to be 260 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 9: levels three or four down within the regime. It's on them. 261 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,280 Speaker 9: But this kind of operation to destroy an entire military, 262 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 9: an entire navy, including underwater assets, all the ships, all 263 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 9: the bases, any missile facilities, drawn facilities, factories, manufacturing stockpiles, 264 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 9: the like. 265 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 3: It takes some time. 266 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:41,920 Speaker 9: So the US and Israel started with those air defenses 267 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 9: that would prevent Iran from being able to guard against 268 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 9: these kinds of strikes, and it went then to long range, 269 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:51,520 Speaker 9: medium range ballistic missiles, things that would threaten our bases 270 00:14:52,040 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 9: and Israel. And it's moving on then to leadership, to 271 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 9: things like the short range ballistic missiles that Terran barely 272 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,000 Speaker 9: touched in the June war and is what we're seeing 273 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 9: them fire along with drones onto their golf neighbors now. 274 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 9: So there's kind of a tiered hierarchy of places that 275 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:12,160 Speaker 9: were first priority to hit and now moving down. But 276 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 9: the US operations won't finish until they hit all of 277 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 9: their high value target list, some of those being individuals, 278 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 9: but mostly being regime assets the ways they exert control. 279 00:15:23,880 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 2: So, given your experience at Kirsten, is this something that 280 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 2: can be achieved in the space of four to five weeks, 281 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 2: as President Trump was suggesting, or going to go perhaps 282 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 2: even longer. 283 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 9: It depends on the state of Iran's air defenses, which 284 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:42,040 Speaker 9: right now we assess being pretty low, and then on intelligence, 285 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:44,760 Speaker 9: because we know Iran moves things around. So right now, 286 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:47,680 Speaker 9: satellite imagery, for instance, is helping our jets that are 287 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 9: doing launcher hunting. They're literally scanning the air to look 288 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 9: for launchers being moved from the places where they are 289 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 9: secretly stored to the places where they are intended to launch, 290 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 9: taking them out that way. How many of the stockpiles 291 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:02,120 Speaker 9: underground can we reach? Is the leadership on that list 292 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 9: moving around? Do we know where they are? So it's 293 00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 9: the battle plan is there. It's just whether or not 294 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 9: intelligence shifts day to day that lays out whether or 295 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:14,920 Speaker 9: not the timeline stays solid or not. It also will 296 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:18,560 Speaker 9: depend on some geopolitical factors. How is the economy reacting 297 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:20,720 Speaker 9: around the world, What kind of damage is coming to 298 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:26,080 Speaker 9: golf partners. It's not that things like damage would cut 299 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 9: short US operations. In fact, if anything, it would probably 300 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 9: speed them up. 301 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 5: What are the odds that Golf states like cut there 302 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 5: or UAE will be pulled deeper into a direct confrontation. 303 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 9: Perhaps well, the US may not even want that. These 304 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 9: Golf states have a lot of assets, They have standoff weaponry, 305 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:49,720 Speaker 9: they have great air defenses that the US is interoperable with. 306 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:51,720 Speaker 9: But you don't want to clutter the air space. You 307 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,360 Speaker 9: don't want more situations like we had in Kuwait. We're 308 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:58,040 Speaker 9: turning on Kuwait's air defenses wound up crashing three US 309 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 9: fighter jets. So anything would have to be well coordinated. 310 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:05,600 Speaker 9: The US has planned the battle plan around those territories 311 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 9: and that airspace not being available, so it certainly won't 312 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 9: be a message, hey, everybody, pitch in when you're ready. 313 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:14,800 Speaker 9: All of that would be integrated. The Golf also tends 314 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 9: to have a lot of their air defenses on automode, 315 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:21,639 Speaker 9: so it expends quite a bit of interceptor stockpile on 316 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 9: perhaps one drone and its remnants and the like. So 317 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 9: the US would want to say, before you get involved 318 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 9: directly in anything offensive, let's really watch your defenses and 319 00:17:32,000 --> 00:17:35,840 Speaker 9: make sure they're being well strategically expended. And then if 320 00:17:35,880 --> 00:17:38,440 Speaker 9: we're going to use things like your standoff weapons, let's 321 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:42,320 Speaker 9: coordinate targeting. We want to really limit civilian casualties here. 322 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 9: That's a big percentage of the planning has gone into 323 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 9: how to limit those civilian casualties. But when you look around, 324 00:17:49,640 --> 00:17:52,959 Speaker 9: even them participating in air defense is a contribution, and 325 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:55,880 Speaker 9: now that you have their civilians being hit, they're much 326 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 9: more likely to say we would like to participate on 327 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:02,400 Speaker 9: the offensive side. Saw Cutter already take down two jet fighters. 328 00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 9: That's more than just turning on a jammer, for instance. 329 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:09,400 Speaker 9: And now that Saudi has had embassy's hit in their capital, 330 00:18:10,040 --> 00:18:13,359 Speaker 9: they made their rethinking the Saudis prior to any engagement 331 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:15,919 Speaker 9: message to the your on nimes very clearly we're not 332 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:18,280 Speaker 9: allowing the US to use this as a base for launches, 333 00:18:18,680 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 9: but if you do anything that strikes civilian architecture, we 334 00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:25,280 Speaker 9: will consider it an act of war. And everything's on 335 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 9: the table then, so we could be seeing the golf 336 00:18:27,600 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 9: being drawn in. 337 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,479 Speaker 7: Stay with us more from Bloomberg Intelligence coming up. 338 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:39,880 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Bloomberg Intelligence podcast. Catch us Live 339 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:43,080 Speaker 1: weekdays at ten am Eastern on Apple Cocklay and Android 340 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,400 Speaker 1: auto with the Bloomberg Business App, Listen on demand wherever 341 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts, or watch us live on YouTube. 342 00:18:50,200 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 2: Congressional warpower votes aimed at blocking President Donald Trump from 343 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:57,240 Speaker 2: further military action in Iran will likely fail. 344 00:18:57,280 --> 00:18:58,640 Speaker 3: That is the assessment of our next. 345 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 2: Guest, Nathan Dee, senior policy analyst the Bloomberg intelligencies down. 346 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:05,119 Speaker 3: There in DC. I mean this is just for show, 347 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 3: isn't it, Nathan. 348 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:08,480 Speaker 2: I mean that Congress has given up a whole you know, 349 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 2: war power thing a long time ago to this to 350 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:12,880 Speaker 2: our US presidency, haven't they. 351 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:14,000 Speaker 4: Yeah? 352 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:16,680 Speaker 8: Absolutely. I mean this is essentially a symbolic vote here. 353 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 8: I mean, in order to get this through law, you 354 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:20,640 Speaker 8: would have to have both chambers pass it, and you'd 355 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 8: have to have pass it in a way to get 356 00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:24,480 Speaker 8: a veto proof majority, because President Trump would obviously vetoed 357 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:27,160 Speaker 8: this measured. So I think what you know Senator Tim Kaine, 358 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:29,560 Speaker 8: who is the sponsor of this legislation or this resolution, 359 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:32,000 Speaker 8: and he did something very similar to Venezuela is aiming 360 00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 8: to do, is essentially just put people on record ahead 361 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:37,080 Speaker 8: of the US midterms. Because current bully suggests that sixty 362 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 8: percent of Americans are not on board with President Trump's 363 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:42,919 Speaker 8: strategy in Iran, and you know, as you can do 364 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:45,159 Speaker 8: in an election year, people like to play politics, and 365 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 8: so this is something that I think just generally is 366 00:19:47,800 --> 00:19:50,359 Speaker 8: more so about political aspects as we get closer and 367 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 8: closer to November. 368 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 5: But even if passed, resolutions would need a super majority 369 00:19:54,600 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 5: to override Trump's veto, and so that leaves them, to 370 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 5: Paul's points, something largely symbolics. So what is the ideal 371 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 5: situation in your view? 372 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 8: Yeah, so there's two reasons why Senator Tim Tim Kane 373 00:20:07,680 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 8: is pushing this. The first is Congress doesn't like it 374 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:11,639 Speaker 8: when presidents start conflicts. And then you don't even have 375 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:13,919 Speaker 8: to have a Republican president or a Democratic president, you 376 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 8: go all the way back, you know, over the last 377 00:20:15,480 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 8: fifty sixty years. Congress doesn't like when president starts conflicts 378 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:21,920 Speaker 8: without going for congressional authorization. So this is the first reason. 379 00:20:21,960 --> 00:20:23,880 Speaker 8: The second reason is is that, you know, just going 380 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 8: back to my point about politics, all four hundred and 381 00:20:26,720 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 8: thirty five members of the House representatives in one third 382 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:31,160 Speaker 8: of the Senate are running in November, and this could 383 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:34,120 Speaker 8: be a situation where Senator Keane wants to put people 384 00:20:34,160 --> 00:20:36,200 Speaker 8: on the record, so that if that's sixty percent of 385 00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:39,240 Speaker 8: the American populace isn't on board with President Trump's I 386 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:42,920 Speaker 8: RAN strategy grows larger. You can have some very difficult conversations. 387 00:20:42,960 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 8: I mean, this is not going to change President Trump's, 388 00:20:45,440 --> 00:20:47,760 Speaker 8: you know, strategy. When he says that he doesn't need 389 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 8: to even think of the polling numbers, he's correct, But 390 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:52,919 Speaker 8: you know, he's also not running on the ticket in November. 391 00:20:53,040 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 8: You know, there are going to be some Republicans on 392 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:56,520 Speaker 8: the other hand, who are looking at this and looking 393 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:58,880 Speaker 8: at the chances the Democrats take the House in November. 394 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 8: And I'm not going to say there going to speak 395 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:02,560 Speaker 8: in opposition to this, but they certainly would be a 396 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 8: little bit more wary or at least their uneasiness would 397 00:21:05,480 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 8: rise as a result of this vote. 398 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 2: Nathan realistically is the Senate up for play here in 399 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 2: the midterms. 400 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:15,480 Speaker 8: So right now, the prediction markets have it about a 401 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:17,400 Speaker 8: forty percent chance, and the Democrats are going to take 402 00:21:17,400 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 8: the Senate, and a lot of it hinges on today, 403 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:23,359 Speaker 8: specifically what's happening here primary day in Texas. Now, you 404 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:25,240 Speaker 8: have two reasons. You have the Republican race and the 405 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 8: Democratic race. On the Republican race, you have Ken Pax 406 00:21:27,840 --> 00:21:30,280 Speaker 8: and the Attorney General, who, according to the prediction markets, 407 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:32,360 Speaker 8: has an eighty five percent chance of beating the incumbent 408 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 8: Senator John Cornyn. On the Democratic side, a similar number 409 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:40,320 Speaker 8: eighty two percent, suggests that James tallerco the moderate Democrat, 410 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:43,440 Speaker 8: has a good chance of beating Jasmine Crockett, the Progressive 411 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,720 Speaker 8: on that is the ticket that the Democrats want to 412 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:49,359 Speaker 8: see if they have a chance of beating the taking 413 00:21:49,560 --> 00:21:52,280 Speaker 8: the Texas race. But again, you know, like I think 414 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 8: most people, at least according to the prediction markets here 415 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:57,199 Speaker 8: in Washington, are sort of just taking into account as 416 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 8: their scenario. The Democrats are have a really decent chance 417 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:01,640 Speaker 8: to take in the House about eighty to eighty five 418 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:04,160 Speaker 8: percent according to the prediction markets. The Senate is still 419 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:06,200 Speaker 8: going to be very difficult despite what happens today. 420 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:09,720 Speaker 5: What's the most likely geopolitical scenario your sources are telling 421 00:22:09,760 --> 00:22:11,880 Speaker 5: you say, in the next thirty days, what are they 422 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:15,280 Speaker 5: preparing for maybe best case or worst case scenarios? Best 423 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:17,639 Speaker 5: case depending on the view you're taking. 424 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:20,879 Speaker 8: Yeah, you know, obviously, I think it's the timeline of Iran. 425 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:23,560 Speaker 8: I mean, our colleague from the Worgo economic expector. Wasser 426 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,239 Speaker 8: has been looking at this, Our colleague Queen Sanders has 427 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:28,399 Speaker 8: been looking at this, and there's this idea if you 428 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:31,160 Speaker 8: look at the prediction markets again in terms of where 429 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 8: this is going to end. CALCI has a contract here. 430 00:22:33,760 --> 00:22:35,919 Speaker 8: It essentially says the majority of folks think that this 431 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:38,600 Speaker 8: is going to be over this month. That's very different 432 00:22:38,600 --> 00:22:41,720 Speaker 8: to this idea of the geopolitical risk will continue for months, 433 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 8: especially in terms of like the trait of war moves 434 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 8: and all that other stuff. So I think that's the 435 00:22:45,640 --> 00:22:47,359 Speaker 8: number one thing here to keep in mind from the 436 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:49,720 Speaker 8: geopolitical perspective. But I would also just say from the 437 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,840 Speaker 8: US domestic perspective, keep in mind that there's going to 438 00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:55,159 Speaker 8: be a rush to push legislation out this month and 439 00:22:55,280 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 8: next month because Congress, like I said, is going to 440 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:01,159 Speaker 8: really focus on the midterm elections and then generally stopped 441 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 8: them for passing legislation. 442 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:07,639 Speaker 1: This is the Bloomberg Intelligence podcast, available on Apple, Spotify, 443 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:11,320 Speaker 1: and anywhere else you get your podcasts. 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