Welcome to The Morning Sixpack Podcast, where global politics somehow manages to get louder, more expensive, and more absurd before breakfast. Today: Trump lands in Beijing with billionaires in tow, inflation is pounding American households again, judges are dismantling ICE policies by the thousands, Iran’s missile threat refuses to disappear, and the Philippine Senate briefly turns into an action movie set.
Donald Trump arrived in Beijing to a red-carpet welcome from Xi Jinping’s government while carrying a growing pile of economic and geopolitical baggage. Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang joined Trump’s entourage as Washington and Beijing prepared to spar over tariffs, Taiwan, tech dominance, and the Iran war. China clearly wanted to signal respect this time around, sending Vice-President Han Zheng to greet Trump personally. The bigger problem for Trump? He arrived overseas while inflation and voter frustration are boiling over back home.
Federal judges are hammering Trump’s ICE detention policies at a staggering pace. More than 10,000 rulings have now gone against the administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown, including decisions from judges Trump appointed himself. Courts are accusing ICE of trampling due process, moving detainees to dodge lawsuits, and openly defying judicial orders. One judge called the conduct “villainy.” That’s not exactly the kind of language you want appearing in federal rulings.
Inflation is roaring back in a major way. Wholesale prices posted their biggest jump in four years as energy costs, transportation expenses, and supply chain disruptions tied to the Iran conflict spread through the economy. Gasoline prices exploded higher, businesses started passing costs onto consumers again, and economists are warning consumers haven’t felt the full pain yet. The Federal Reserve suddenly looks trapped between persistent inflation and growing political pressure.
Trump’s economic credibility is collapsing alongside rising prices. New polling shows 70% of Americans disapprove of his handling of the economy, while a majority now blame his policies for making everyday life more expensive. Consumer confidence is tanking, debt is climbing, and wages are falling behind inflation again. Trump isn’t helping himself either, openly saying Americans’ financial struggles are “not even a little bit” part of his decision-making around Iran.
Meanwhile, the “Iran has been obliterated” narrative is starting to fall apart. Intelligence reports now suggest Tehran still possesses roughly 70% of its missile arsenal and has restored most launch sites near the Strait of Hormuz. That’s raising fears the U.S. could face another prolonged military escalation while running low on key missile systems of its own. Oil markets are already nervous, and global economies are paying the price.
And finally, things turned chaotic inside the Philippine Senate. Gunfire erupted as security forces moved to arrest Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, a close Duterte ally wanted by the International Criminal Court over alleged crimes against humanity tied to the country’s drug war. Journalists ducked for cover as armed forces stormed the building. It’s the kind of political crisis that makes Washington look almost calm by comparison.
That’s your Morning Sixpack. Inflation’s climbing, courts are revolting, missiles are flying, and politicians everywhere seem determined to test the limits of public patience. See you tomorrow—assuming nobody declares economic martial law overnight.
