Aug 24, 2026 · 11 min
Trump widens pressure campaign as markets parse Iran’s oil flows
New U.S. Sanctions Aim to Isolate Iran
The episode connects geopolitical pressure, uncertain energy data, biotech expectations and therapeutic bias to decisions with real economic and personal consequences.
- 1Trump’s pressure on Canada and Iran raises questions about sanctions, tariffs and China’s willingness to absorb the fallout.
- 2Conflicting estimates of Strait of Hormuz oil traffic complicate judgments about supply, prices and broader market performance.
- 3Moderna’s cancer-vaccine results and therapists’ countertransference show how uncertainty and personal assumptions shape high-stakes decisions.
Don't miss
Elizabeth Bernstein’s discussion of therapists imposing assumptions—such as believing single patients cannot be happy—makes countertransference concrete.
The brief
The episode opens with Donald Trump escalating pressure on Canada and Iran through tariffs and sanctions, while stalled negotiations and China’s possible response complicate the strategy.
Conflicting estimates of oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz expose the limits of commercial tracking: ships may be traveling at night with transponders disabled.
Moderna’s personalized mRNA cancer-vaccine results lift investor enthusiasm, but the harder question is whether melanoma success will translate across other cancers.
Elizabeth Bernstein examines countertransference, showing how therapists’ personal assumptions—including views about whether single patients can be happy—can distort treatment.
The close points to a three-part series on AI therapy, extending the episode’s concern with how technology and professional judgment shape care.
Featuring
Elizabeth Bernstein
Donald John TrumpBooks & mentions
The AI therapy series
It extends the episode’s examination of how technology changes therapeutic care.
Listen to the full episode and explore every guest, topic, and moment on PodLume.