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Chris Cuomo
The President of the United States is on the precipice of what can do the most good or bad to his presidency. And it comes down to two questions involving the regime in Iran. Iran versus Israel is not accurate. You have the regime in Iran, you have the people, you have Israel, you have America, and you have the rest of the world. And all are in play in this situation. And it comes down to two basic questions for the President of the United States that he is going to have to answer. And what's happening with maga? What's happening in social media? There's a lot of noise, but they're not answering the questions. I'll lay them out. I'll. I'll give you the options. Let's get after it. I'm Chris Cuomo. Thank you for joining me here on the Chris Cuomo Podcast. Here are the two questions. Does America have to stop the regime in Iran from enriching uranium? Yes or no? Okay, that's the first question. Let's say the answer is no. They do not have to stop the regime from enriching uranium. Now, some of you are going to say that's absurd. Look, MAGA is imploding on this question right now. Now, I knew this was going to happen, not about the Iranian regime and nukes, but I knew MAGA would have to, at some point implode, because that's what happens with extreme agendas. And I knew it would happen with Wokeism as well. Eventually, these things collapse under the weight of themselves. So within MAGA right now, you have isolationists. We don't do anything in America for anybody but ourselves. That's what we do. And then you have the we gotta kill bad people and we gotta stick by Israel and the hawks that used to be the Republicans, and they're in conflict with each other. And sure, there's something interesting and sporting about watching Mark Levin and Sean Hann and other people on the right beat the snot out of Rogan's rogue comic buddies and all of these other complete neophytes who decided to have opinions about things that they don't understand and get into the business of provocation. And now you got Tucker Carlson and literally some joker saying one thing, and they're going against other MAGA guys about whether or not we should bomb Iran. And none of them are dealing with the right questions. And certainly they don't have answers about what to do if you don't bomb. So let's go back to the question. Does America have to stop the regime in Iran from enriching uranium to weapons grade. Right. I'll add that part. Because if they just want it for a nuclear reactor, that's what was in the original agreement. But they're doing like 20 times more than that. All right, let's say the answer is no. How can the answer be no? Well, look around the world. There are a lot of people have nukes that we don't see as an existential threat. And there are a lot of bad actors that have nukes. People who don't like us. China, Russia, North Korea. Right. Unstable places. Pakistan, maybe India. Why does this one matter so much? What does it matter if there is one more? Now, the better answer to why the answer is no. The better explanation is not yet. Not yet. Now, not yet gets a lot of weight from me. Why? Because the idea that Israel has learned that they're much closer to getting a bomb one doesn't seem to comport with American intelligence. Because they were going to go meet with the guys in Oman. So clearly they didn't think that they were on the verge of attacking us, because then they wouldn't have been meeting that way. And I'm sure you've seen the Daily show clip, Bibi. Netanyahu has been saying that Iran is on the verge of doing this for almost 10 years. Why? Because he fears them and he wants to take them out. Now, does that mean that America should feel the same way? No, not necessarily. So that's the better answer to no, you don't have to stop them this way. Okay, but I still think. Now you go to the other answer. Yes, America does have to stop the regime in Iran from enriching uranium. Why? Because even Russia, even China, even India, North Korea, none of them exist under the motto of destroying America. Overtly, egregiously, explicitly, enthusiastically, the way Iran's regime does. Not the people separate the regime from the people. The idea of we're going to go to war with Iran, Iranians are bad. No, we're talking about a regime. A despotic, oppressive, theocratic, Islamist regime. It's different. The people are under the yoke of oppression there. Okay? It's not unlike what's happening in Gaza. The difference is the regime is a lot more powerful than Hamas. They have a lot more weapons at their disposal and capabilities. We're seeing that now. You've got like 90 million people in Iran. It's a huge place. It's a top 20 population in the world. It's top four in the region. Right behind Pakistan, India and a couple others. Right. Maybe one other. So It's a huge population, it's very powerful, and the regime is very formidable. So. But the answer, therefore, if you go down the road of yes, you do have to stop them. Why? Because they want to destroy you. And as soon as they get a nuke, they're going to be playing a very, very dangerous and intentional game in a way that we've seen nobody else do. Now, you don't have to believe that you can say, ah, that's what you said about North Korea, and nothing's happened there. I would say this is a distinction with a difference. Islamism in the extreme is set up to destroy the West. They do believe we are the Great Satan. North Korea doesn't want us fucking with them. There's a difference. So if the answer is yes, now you have the problem where everybody else is stuck. You don't want to bomb them. You want Israel to stop. Okay, then how do you stop the regime from getting nukes? Now, you only have one answer. And I think it's the one that President Trump is going to be most comfortable with. And I think it's most natural posture for him. Okay. And I believe that in terms of timing, this is his best option. Okay? And again, I take some comfort, despite all the noise and all the provocation and all the punking and all the pushing that's going on in the media, but really social media, with all these podcast fringe types trying to motivate their agendas for clicks time militates in favor of saying, we're going to stop you, but not that way, not yet. I think the most likely play that comports with what Trump believes, which is what? Military action is almost always a waste of blood and money. You don't get enough back for it. Now, you, you can criticize that he's not principled enough, he's not moral enough, he doesn't have a code. He doesn't want to fight to protect democracy and to free people and all these other noble aims that are often ascribed to violence. No, he doesn't believe those things, but that works in favor of our analysis here, which is why he won't want to do this. There's not enough upside and there is tremendous downside and he isn't wrong. And he is a deal maker and he is a saber rattler. Okay? And I do believe. Well, but he's saying, I told you, I told you now. Evacuate Iran. It sounds like he's going to attack. And the Israeli media said he's going to attack. Look, Israel is an ally. Israel's under an existential threat. But you've got to look at it through that lens, okay? They have every reason to want America to want to join them in this, and they may be saying things that are provocative and evocative of that result. And I don't believe that. I don't believe that America was bombing last night, and they weren't. Those reports were wrong. And I don't believe we're on the verge of doing it now. I think it's under consideration. Sure. These guys want to take you out, and there's every reason to believe that they're enriching uranium at a rate that only leads in one direction. Okay? It's either used to fuel vessels and assets that they don't have or to make weapons. But Trump is a dealmaker, and I believe that the message he's going to arrive at is regime. Do you want me to let Israel and help Israel keep tenderizing you like this, or do you want to sit down at the table? And I think that he presents it as a last, clear chance. Some will see it as weakness, and they'll be wrong. Some will see it as strength, and they'll be wrong. It will be practicality, and it will be a message that the world needs to see and hear, which is Trump told Iran they could do this a different way. And look, he's already said that. But here's what's wrong with the current messaging. I gave you 60 days. You didn't do it. I told you this was going to happen. Now you got to abandon and you've got to evacuate and all this other stuff. He can't do it unilaterally. He needs Iran, the regime specifically, not the Iranian people, because they don't have the power here. They are subjugated by this regime. The regime needs to come out and says, fuck you, we're not going to do it now. We're not going to do it now. The world has seen Trump gave him a chance, gave him a chance to do a deal, gave him a chance to do it civilly, and they rejected it. And then we'll see what the next step is. But right now, that is what makes the most sense, as opposed to doing a naked bombing effort. Now, I don't even know that that would be legal. Okay. Why? Because there is this really rushed rationale that people are offering. Well, but, I mean, you just said they're about to create nuclear bombs, so there's an emergency, so we can do it. An emergency needs proof. Okay? You have three different avenues of use of force here. You have the United States Constitution. You have the authorizations for use of military force, which are from 2001 and 2. And you have the War Powers act or War powers resolution from 1973. The AUMF is a joke and is only proof of Congress ducking its duty because it got burned by the Iraq war. The idea that that is the basis of action 9 11, and going after the people responsible for 911 or the 2002 one, that has to do with Iraq and what's happening in Iraq and who's sponsoring what's happening in Iraq, none of that applies here. It's ridiculous to think otherwise. Okay, then you have the Constitution that he has the ability to protect us in a time of emergency. This is not an emergency as far as we know. Again, I get what Israel's saying, but he's been saying that for almost 10 years. All right? We do not know that they're on the verge of having a weapon. We haven't had that show. We don't know that the United States thinks that. And the President would have to make that clear in order to have any unilateral power here. Then you go to the War powers Act of 1973, and people keep saying, yeah, he can do it. Under that, he has 48 hours to tell Congress, no, no, no. If he satisfies one of the four requirements that allow him troop movements or any type of introduction of US Military that means bombing, any kind of staffing movement, anything like that, you can even argue material support if somebody who's doing it would qualify. You have to show that an attack is imminent, that there is something about to happen or that has happened and that is not satisfied. And especially the 1973 War Powers act is sensitive to what Congress's posture is. And that's why you have members of Congress who are trying to quickly come up with a resolution that they do not believe that military power or force or action is legally justified right now. And if they say that, then there is a burden on the President to make a case before he does anything. And I think that is right. I don't think it's a usurpation of the executive. The Constitution is pretty clear. The Founding Fathers were pretty clear, okay? A president is not a king, okay? And he is not supposed to unilaterally make those kinds of decisions. Congress is supposed to declare war. The President makes war. He conducts off of their decision. He readies, he prepares within the executive in terms of planning and structure and training and how monies are Used that are apportioned. But he doesn't declare war except in extreme circumstances. And I don't know that that requirement is satisfied. Support comes from Lucy. Listen, smoking kills, okay? But there are many of us who have habits and we are prone to habits. So how about having one that is 100% pure nicotine because that's what you need, but it is always tobacco free. 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They either have an opinion, go in there and do it or don't do it. If you say don't do it, then what would you do then? How do you stop them? Now I think that your best answer, which a lot of you aren't offering, you know, it's just, oh, impeach the President and he already did it, by allowing Israel to go in and do, and do that. Listen again, welcome to politics, welcome to geopolitics. You naive rube that you think that this is something unusual, that America knew Israel was going to do this in Iran and let it happen anyway. You don't think that happens all the time? And now you think he should be impeached? Seriously, what a joke. It just reveals how shallow, how basic, how emotional these MAGA folks can be. And the fringe on the other side also just, this isn't their kerfuffle yet, but the idea that he shouldn't be impeached for what they were talking about. But you want him impeached for this?
Dr. Kirk Elliot
Why?
Chris Cuomo
Why? Is it a high crime and misdemeanor? Why? What is it what? Is it treason? Is he giving comfort to the enemy? Is Israel the enemy? What are you talking about? This is a problem with somebody who tells bad jokes for a living deciding to get into the philosophy and political analysis business, when really all you're doing is just being a provocateur for clicks. And I'm glad to see these people getting their ass beat by one another right now because they've been saying stupid shit to get everybody angry for a long time. And it's good to see them dealing with one another now. And hopefully they'll boil it all down and reduce themselves into something that's more reasonable. Because if you arrive at the answer that, yeah, you do have to stop them. Okay, how? You got two avenues. You take out the regime, you destroy their capabilities, or you make a deal. I think Trump is going to make a deal. I think it's the right move. Now, Israel will disagree. That's okay. It doesn't make them an enemy. It doesn't make them bad. It could make them wrong. But I don't know what kind of proof they've shown the President, and he certainly hasn't reflected it here. And he does seem to be talking about Iran in terms of the regime, as you asked, for this. This being what's happening right now, not more. And I would not be surprised for the President to stay in that direction as long as he can. Now, are there X factors? Of course. This is a capricious man. We saw it with tariffs, we saw it with deportations. I wound up getting egg on my face. I said, good for the President for arriving at a reasonable conclusion that not everybody who enters the country illegally is the same. There are a lot of people doing all the things in this country who entered the wrong way. And then he said that. Farmers, hotel people, other big employers. We got a lot of people building our communities and part of things that are very good and beneficial for America who didn't come in the right way, but they've done everything right since they came in that way. And then he caves to MAGA and this virulence that he fed of xenophobia and against these people, and they just change back. That's the capriciousness I'm talking about. Same thing with tariffs on everybody. On nobody. On 150%, no 10%. Oh, he's just negotiating. No, he's not. He's vacillating. And sometimes that's okay, sometimes it isn't. You can't vacillate on whether or not to bomb somebody. Once you bomb, you bomb, you can vacillate about whether or not to do it, but once you say yes, you're in. And I think Trump knows enough from history and from what he's being told that he doesn't see a clear win. Because, look, even if you use the bunker buster bombs, which we would have to do, America would have to deploy them. They're so heavy that you need certain, you know, aircraft that only we have. You'd then have to check, you'd have to go on the ground, you'd have to be there to really know. And we're not going to do that, not right now, maybe not ever. Not under these circumstances.
Dr. Kirk Elliot
So.
Chris Cuomo
Right now, what we're going to see is a slowing down of the exchange. Why? Assets and inventory and this message phase has been exhausted. Iran cannot do any real damage to Israel anything more than it has done. And I'm sure there is more damage than even we know from the wider media. But they haven't done anything like what Israel can do to the regime, but also collaterally to the people there. And I do think that there is a lower risk appetite for that because of what's happening in Gaza. I don't think people want to sit around and start seeing more non combatants getting destroyed in another part of the region the way we're seeing in Gaza. Now, I understand the exigencies of Hamas and the taking the hostages, and I understand the exigencies of the regime in Iran, specifically to Israel. But I think that this is winding down for now. And then it's the President's move, and I think his move is going to have to be to try to make a deal. Will it work? I do not know. But I'll tell you one last thing that we're seeing right now. Trump has to move away from Maga. Trump has to move away from maga. It cannot take him where he wants to go. It got him here, sure, but it's extreme. And if he wants to be seen as great, he can't be a part of competing extreme agendas. MAGA is part isolationist, fuck the rest of the world. We're all about ourselves, even if it's irrational, if it's a reflection of how little we understand about geopolitics and economics. And then you have these used to be Republicans who are hawks who believe in beating down Islamism everywhere you find it, who are anti Muslim, which is very different than being anti Islamist, extremist. But they exist in there, those people, and now they are fighting with one another. So you get Mark Levin vs. Carlson and the jokers, and that fight is poison for the presidency. He's got to distance himself if he wants to be remembered as a great leader. He has to build consensus. Now, I believe resistance to fundamentalism and extremism is where that consensus will be found. The president has to move away from maga. Let them eat themselves, okay? On the battle to the bottom of who is worse and what's the most isolationist, what's the most violent. All of these ugly tendencies and appetites that they have, leave them to it. It does not get the President where the country needs to be or where he needs to be in his own estimation of what he wants his legacy to be. You had to know that an extreme agenda was going to implode. They always do. Same thing with Wokeism. It was too much, too far. This is a centrist country. Eventually you will collapse under the own weight of your exaggerated circumstances. You see it on the left as well. It's just not as operative right now as what's happening within MAGA with this president. But AOC warning Democrats, they're going to go back to their old friends. They're going to choose their old friends. You want to talk about the elite corporate class, but those are your people. That's who your party is now. The people that you abandoned are the working class people, the majority of this country. That's who you AOC and your friends on the far left who openly call themselves socialists, right, who play with the idea of whether Israel has a right to exist. You're the one who surrendered, who that party was really about. Those are your old friends, the majority, the centrists, the reasonable. You are the one who went radical. And that's why your party is in the shitter. That's on you. You want to be openly socialist. You want to say that you know Israel doesn't have a right to exist and say, hey, leave these pro Hamas people alone. You abandoned the base. The base didn't abandon you. You gave them to Trump. You forced them to Trump. But now he's in his own pickle with MAGA and they are eating each other and he needs to step away from it. And he has to step into the role of building consensus in this country. And he has to answer two really hard questions. Do you need to stop the regime in Iran from enriching uranium at this rate? And if you do, how do you do that? Those are two hard questions and the answers are fraught with downside. But that's what being president is all about. And that's where America is. And what we see in the next few weeks is going to inform a lot about what we all live through the next few months. Listen, you know that things are off. The economy is all about uncertainty. You got wars overseas. You got inflation, you got borrowing costs. You got consumer issues, you got food issues. Every time you turn on the news, another bank has problems. So question. What are you doing to deal with the uncertainty? To protect what you've built for your family? That's why people are turning to gold and silver. What is old and trusted is new again. Not because it's trendy, but because it works. When the system shakes, real assets matter. This is something you can hold, that you can trade, that you can count on. It's not a maybe, it's a hedge, but there's a trap. And this, this is what no one tells you. But I will. It's not just about buying gold. You gotta buy the right kind. Now, what does that mean? Well, you know these flashy ads, special edition coins, celebrity endorsements? Those are about taking your money, not protecting it. Big commissions. They don't tell you about bad deals. Look, I know about people who have gotten burned and sometimes you can't bounce back. That's why I am partnering with Dr. Kirk Elliot, double PhD, 20 years in the game. And let me tell you something, one of the few guys, when he says he puts people before profits, he can back it up. No pressure, no gimmicks, just real bullion. Gold, gold and silver that you can use, sell and trust anywhere in the world. No matter what's going Right now, Dr. Kirk and his team are right and ready at Kepm and offering free consultations. We all got questions. Guess what? They've got answers. Go to kepm.com cuomo k e p m Kirk Elliot precious metals.com cuomo and you'll get straight talk. This is about finding certainty in uncertain times. Get smart, get moving before the next shock hits. So look, with all this uncertainty about what's going to happen with the regime and whether it will continue with Israel, with America getting get involved, you're seeing volatility all over the place, if only with oil prices. Now the question is, what are you supposed to do with this? How are you supposed to plan for your family? How are you supposed to deal with your finances? How are you supposed to deal with your investments in this? The markets are going crazy up and down here and abroad. All of these different rules that we thought we had about how to protect ourselves in Uncertain times seem to have changed. So what do we do? I don't know. That's why I called in my partner, Dr. Kirk Elliot. Okay. From Kepm, Kirk Elliot precious Metals, to kind of give an analysis of what does this all mean and what can we do to protect what we have and give ourselves a chance to grow and get to a better place. Dr. Kirk. Good to see you, Doc.
Dr. Kirk Elliot
It's great to see you.
Chris Cuomo
So all of these questions hanging in the air about what the American president, what the American military is going to do vis a vis Israel and the regime in Iran, we're watching the markets fly all over the place. What are people supposed to be thinking or planning or doing right now?
Dr. Kirk Elliot
Well, that's the question on everybody's mind, isn't it? I mean, so like two days ago they were close to now that we're going to get peace in this region and Iran doesn't want to come into a deal. So the answer is who knows what's going to happen over the next 24, 48, 72 hours, right? We don't know. But markets, here's what's interesting about the markets. Stock market doesn't respond well to chaos, neither does the bond market. Gold and silver perform very well during chaos as a flight for safety that people look for when the foundations around us are eroding.
Chris Cuomo
So how do you think about oil? And the immediate impact was the price goes up because Iran is in the oil game in the region. And then OPEC says what it's going to say, what should people do with that information?
Dr. Kirk Elliot
So we have to ask ourselves one simple question. What do we do when oil goes up? And the projections now for oil are with this conflict, maybe $130 a barrel, right? So $120 to $130 a barrel. We're at 71 right now, Chris. So going from 70 to 130, it's like an 80% increase in the price. What uses oil? Like everything, right? I mean, it's literally used in everything from plastics to actual oil and gas to manufacturing. I mean, it's used in everything. So that is a bottom line increase to inflation when something that's used in everything could go up 80%. Right? So that's point number one. Point number two, we don't know how high it's going to go. But these are just the projections, right? But here's what happens if they, they shut down the Strait of Hormuz. Now the oil tankers going all over the world aren't going to be able to get oil to there either. So now there's this, this international disruption of oil. So we. But this is just from this war, right? This is just from the conflict in Iran. You have oil prices could shoot up to 120 to 130. You have what happens if they shut down the Strait of Hormuz? Well, what about the other war, which is the war between Jerome Powell and Donald Trump? To me, this is another one. Because when you've got inflation, that's going to come from higher oil prices. What has been the battle between Trump and Powell? Trump says, you've got to lower interest rates. Powell says, no, we've got inflation. I've got to raise interest rates. Right? So this conflict has the potential to cause oil to go up and cause even more inflation. So there's going to be a propensity for Powell to say, no, I'm not lowering interest rates. I don't care what you tell me to do. Right, because we've got inflation and we're supposedly an independent institution, right? So let's say they stay the same or they go up. Here's the consequences that come from that. When you look at things like the big beautiful bill which adds deficits and adds debt, what is the main mechanism to pay those deficits and debt? It's a growing economy. So this is the argument. We're going to grow the economy, we're going to bring jobs back. This is going to create the money needed to pay off these deficits. What if we go into a recession because Powell raises interest rates to slow down inflation? Then there is no income streams to pay these deficits. So this is where something like this battle, this war, this ugly nastiness that's happening in Iran and Israel, and maybe the US Is going to be right in the middle of it, could actually have even a bigger impact on the US Economy than what people are thinking.
Chris Cuomo
What's the risk if someone says, oh, good, Kirk agrees with me, oil's going to go up, I'm going to buy it.
Dr. Kirk Elliot
Now that there actually is peace in the region, there's some kind of a treaty like tomorrow and the price doesn't go up and it actually comes down. Or a lot of times when there's this economic disruption of like, oh, the prices are going to go way up because of this conflict. And then what does OPEC do? They increase the production, right? So you get more of it out there. Well, then what's that going to do? That actually increases the supply. So when you have increased supply and even the same amount of demand prices come down by that one policy maneuver. Then if there's peace added to that, then it's very difficult to make medium and long term financial decisions in a time of uncertainty like we're seeing when every 12, 24, 36 hours we don't know what it's going to look like. It's so erratic and up in the air right now. But here's where I am so confident in doing what, what everybody should be doing right now. Don't look at your investments for growth. Don't look at it as like hitting a home run. Look at it as asset preservation first and foremost, right? When, when things are uncertain, you protect what you have. Now, in the, in the case of gold and silver that thrive during times like this, you've got the best of both worlds. You've got growth and asset protection.
Chris Cuomo
Why so?
Dr. Kirk Elliot
Because when there's chaos and uncertainty, since the beginning of time, Chris, people have gone into precious metals. It's like, you know, it's what kings and kingdoms have fought after since the beginning of time. Because it has value, right? And even the perception in people's minds. You know, if you've got this great idea and you say, and you tell your friends, it's like, I've got this golden idea, right? It's like, well, why did you use that word, right? It's a word that people use for something that they think is good, that's valuable, that's like amazing. You're not going to say, oh, I've got a stock idea. Well, it's like, what, what is that? And you know, you're saying a word that's in perception, in people's minds, but that it is a good thing, it's stable, it's real, it has value, it's tangible. Something that just can't be printed out of thin air. Something that can't disappear overnight. Like a company can go bankrupt tomorrow and the stock value goes to zero. It has value because it's a thing. But I would love to do just one quick little like message to the whole world here that's watching your show and that is, let's take away all this noise, let's take a shovel, get rid of the whole war. What's happening in Iran, what causes gold and silver to go up? What we're seeing right now is an accelerant to it. Whenever you have conflict, turbulence, turmoil, that's an accelerant. But the root cause of what causes gold and silver to go up is money supply, creation. See, take this concept, right? So what is inflation. Inflation is nothing more than an increase in the money supply. Inflation isn't rising prices. That's a symptom of inflation. Inflation is creation of money. Because when you have this money that you're printing out of thin air to provide stimulus or anything else, it devalues that currency. Takes more of that junk currency to buy valuable goods and services. So let's look back during COVID 2020, 21, right? $6 trillion of money was created out of thin air. The M2 money supply. Over the last year, $1.2 trillion of M2 money supply, which is a measure of how much money is in circulation, was created. Well, that's a lot of money to be created in a year, right? So this is why gold and silver go up. It's the foundational fundamental issue. It takes more of that currency to actually buy goods and services. Which gold or silver is a good or service, just like bicycles, just like groceries. But this isn't relegated to America. This isn't only confined to us globally. In Japan, in China, they're printing money like there's no tomorrow. This constant devaluation of currency around the world is actually causing metals prices to go up. Everything else that we're seeing, the noise, the turbulence, the wars, the rumors of wars, the tariffs, all of that is an accelerant to what? The main root cause of why precious metals go up in price, which is increasing the money supply.
Chris Cuomo
If somebody is looking at this from the investment return perspective, how has gold and silver done versus the stock market in the last five years?
Dr. Kirk Elliot
Silver is number one. Gold is number two. Stock market is number three. Right. Now you look at it, what's happened just this year alone, Just this year, gold's up over 60%. Right. You look at where silver was three and a half years ago. I remember because I was doing shows on it. It was in the upper teens, let's call it $18. Today it's 37. It has doubled over the last three and a half years. Gold is close to doubling. Has the stock market doubled over the last three and a half years?
Chris Cuomo
Nope.
Dr. Kirk Elliot
No. I mean, it hasn't done great.
Chris Cuomo
Right?
Dr. Kirk Elliot
Right. But it hasn't done that well.
Chris Cuomo
Agreed. Well, Dr. Kirk, as always, I appreciate your insight on the vagaries of the moment and how we make sense of the uncertainty and what it means to our own pockets and our households and our portfolios. Thank you for doing it, brother. Appreciate you.
Dr. Kirk Elliot
It's my pleasure.
Chris Cuomo
Reasonable. And the data is there, so the choice is yours about what to do. I got a plan for my family. You got a plan for yours. But here's one thing we know for sure. Nothing's for sure these days. And you gotta find safety wherever you can. So let's watch and see how the President answers these two main questions. Let's watch and see if he wises up about the malignancy that is maga. And let's see where we all are the next time we get together. I'm Chris Cuomo. Thank you for joining subscribing following here at the Chris Cuomo Project. Thank you for checking me out on NewsNation 8p and 11p Eastern every weekday night. Thank you for showing love to the substack. The money from your subscription goes to help people get long Covid treatment. And if you wear your independence and get your free agent gear, I use that money to crowdsource contributions from all of us that we can feel good about. Like the money we gave to Peter, the foster parent who's making such a difference giving back to the country that he believes gave him so much. Thank you, my brothers and sisters. The challenges are real. The attitude is obvious. Let's get after it.
Podcast: The Chris Cuomo Project
Host: Chris Cuomo
Guest: Dr. Kirk Elliot
Release Date: June 19, 2025
Duration: Approximately 40 minutes
In this pivotal episode of The Chris Cuomo Project, host Chris Cuomo delves deep into the geopolitical landscape surrounding President Donald Trump's tenure, focusing on the intricate dynamics with Iran and the internal fractures within the MAGA movement. The conversation aims to unpack two fundamental questions that could shape Trump's presidency and, by extension, American foreign and domestic policies.
At the heart of the discussion are two critical questions Cuomo poses regarding the Iranian regime:
Cuomo emphasizes that these questions are not isolated but are intricately linked to broader geopolitical tensions involving Israel, the American populace, and global powers like China and Russia.
Cuomo addresses the fragmentation within the MAGA movement, highlighting the conflicting ideologies that threaten its cohesion:
Isolationism vs. Interventionism:
(02:30) "Within MAGA right now, you have isolationists. We don't do anything in America for anybody but ourselves... and then you have the we gotta kill bad people and we gotta stick by Israel..."
Media and Social Media Noise:
(04:15) Cuomo criticizes MAGA voices on social platforms and traditional media, pointing out the lack of substantive answers to pressing geopolitical questions.
Consequences of Extreme Agendas:
(03:50) "I knew MAGA would have to, at some point implode, because that's what happens with extreme agendas... They collapse under the weight of themselves."
Cuomo explores the implications of choosing whether or not to intervene in Iran's nuclear developments:
Argument Against Intervention:
(05:10) Emphasizes that multiple nations possess nuclear capabilities without posing existential threats, questioning the singular focus on Iran.
Regime vs. People Distinction:
(07:45) "The people are under the yoke of oppression there... It's not unlike what's happening in Gaza."
Motivations Behind Intervention:
(09:20) Discusses Israel’s persistent warnings about Iran, questioning whether America's stance should mirror Israel's long-held position.
Should the decision be to intervene, Cuomo outlines the limited options available:
Military Action:
(12:00) Highlights Trump's likely reluctance based on his aversion to unnecessary military engagements, emphasizing the potential legal and ethical pitfalls.
Diplomatic Engagement:
(14:35) Advocates for Trump’s strength as a dealmaker to negotiate a settlement, presenting it as a pragmatic alternative to unilateral military action.
Bringing in guest Dr. Kirk Elliot, the conversation shifts to the economic ramifications of geopolitical instability:
Impact on Oil Prices:
(29:30) Dr. Elliot explains how conflicts can drive oil prices up, using projections of oil potentially reaching $120-$130 per barrel, a staggering increase from current levels.
Market Volatility:
(30:12) Discusses the adverse effects of geopolitical chaos on stock and bond markets, advocating for investment in precious metals like gold and silver as a hedge against uncertainty.
Inflation and Money Supply:
(35:16) Dr. Elliot breaks down the relationship between increasing money supply and inflation, underscoring how precious metals retain value amidst rising prices.
Performance of Precious Metals vs. Stocks:
(38:38) Highlights the superior performance of silver and gold compared to the stock market over the past five years, emphasizing their role in asset preservation.
Dr. Kirk Elliot: "Silver is number one. Gold is number two. Stock market is number three. Right." (38:48)
Cuomo: "Agreed. Well, Dr. Kirk, as always, I appreciate your insight..." (39:30)
Cuomo outlines the critical steps President Trump must take to navigate these complex issues:
Distance from Extreme Agendas:
(22:15) Emphasizes the necessity for Trump to move away from the divisive elements of MAGA to build broader consensus and establish a lasting legacy.
Focus on Consensus Building:
(24:10) "He has to build consensus. Now, I believe resistance to fundamentalism and extremism is where that consensus will be found."
Strategic Decision-Making:
Discusses the importance of strategic clarity in addressing Iran's nuclear ambitions, balancing military and diplomatic efforts without succumbing to partisan pressures.
As the episode concludes, Cuomo reiterates the significance of the two questions posed at the beginning and the profound impact their answers will have on America's future. He calls for strategic, informed decision-making to navigate the intertwined challenges of foreign policy and internal political divisions.
Cuomo: "No one knows for sure though. And you gotta find safety wherever you can." (39:51)
Geopolitical Significance: The handling of Iran's nuclear program is pivotal in defining Trump's presidency and U.S. foreign policy.
Internal Political Dynamics: The fragmentation within MAGA poses significant challenges to unified policy-making and national coherence.
Economic Strategies: In times of geopolitical and economic uncertainty, investing in precious metals serves as a reliable hedge against market volatility and inflation.
Leadership and Consensus: Effective leadership requires distancing from extreme factions and fostering a broad-based consensus to navigate complex global and domestic landscapes.
This episode of The Chris Cuomo Project offers a comprehensive analysis of the intertwined challenges facing President Trump, emphasizing the critical nature of strategic decision-making in both foreign policy and domestic political spheres. Through insightful discussions and expert commentary, Cuomo provides listeners with a nuanced understanding of the factors that will shape the future of American leadership and global standing.