On my way back to Arizona from Washington, D.C., after several days of meetings on trade, security, and cross-border coordination, one thing became clear: the world is shifting faster than most people realize. The escalating conflict with Iran is already moving through energy markets and supply chains, and those shifts are about to show up in very real ways for families and businesses here at home. What happens abroad no longer stays abroad—it moves quickly, and it lands directly in our daily lives. This week, I break down what that means for rising costs, cross-border trade, and the growing role of security in North America’s economic future.

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The world is entering another period of instability. The escalation with Iran is already sending shockwaves through global energy markets, raising the risk of supply disruptions and driving uncertainty across industries. For businesses and governments alike, this is not theoretical. It is immediate, and it is consequential.

But moments like this do more than create risk. They create alignment.

As global supply chains face renewed pressure, companies are once again asking the same question: where can we operate with certainty? Increasingly, the answer is closer to home. North America has the foundation to become the most reliable economic region in the world, but only if we move with intention.

This week in Washington, D.C., I saw firsthand how these conversations are evolving. Arizona’s business delegation made a strong case for the importance of the USMCA, not just as a trade framework, but as a strategic advantage. At the same time, leaders on both sides of the border are recognizing that trade, security, and infrastructure are no longer separate conversations.

The upcoming USMCA review is not just procedural. It is a defining opportunity.

So what should we do?

Business leaders should reassess their supply chains now, not later, and prioritize North American partnerships that reduce risk. Policymakers must accelerate cross-border infrastructure and security coordination, ensuring trade flows efficiently and safely.

I am already working with Fortune 500 companies across Arizona, the United States, and Mexico to do exactly this—helping reposition supply chains, navigate risk, and unlock cross-border opportunities in real time. In moments like this, speed and trusted partnerships matter.

For those looking to act, this is the time to lean in, build relationships, and move projects forward while the window is open.

If we align policy, investment, and execution, North America can turn global disruption into long-term strength. If we hesitate, others will fill that gap.

The window is open. Now we have to act.

As tensions escalate with Iran, the global focus is on conflict. But what often gets overlooked is how quickly that conflict translates into real costs at home.

When oil prices rise, everything follows.

Let’s make this real. If gas prices increase by just $1 per gallon, the average American household using about 60–70 gallons per month will pay an extra $60–$70 monthly. That is $700–$800 a year, just to maintain the same daily routine.

Now layer in the broader economy.

Every truck moving goods across the U.S.–Mexico border feels it first. A long-haul truck can burn close to 20,000 gallons annually. A $1 increase in fuel translates into roughly $20,000 in additional costs per truck. Those costs don’t disappear. They get passed directly to consumers.

And this is where another pressure point comes in: tariffs.

Recent and proposed tariffs on key imports add another layer of cost on top of rising energy prices. That means businesses are getting hit from both sides—higher transportation costs and higher input costs. The result is unavoidable: more expensive goods on store shelves.

That shows up as:

This is what I’m watching closely: the combined effect of energy volatility and trade policy driving a new wave of inflation across border economies.

So what should you do?

If you’re a business leader, stress-test your cost structure now. Look at fuel exposure, tariff exposure, and where you can shift toward regional supply chains. If you operate cross-border, prioritize efficiency and proximity. And at the household level, be prepared—these pressures will show up gradually, but they will show up.

I’m already working with partners across Arizona, the U.S., and Mexico to navigate exactly this moment—adjusting supply chains, managing risk, and identifying opportunities in the shift.

Because this is where global conflict becomes local pressure—and where preparation becomes your advantage.

This week, something important happened that did not make major headlines, but should have.

Mexico’s Secretary of Security was in Washington, D.C. meeting with U.S. counterparts at the same time global tensions are rising and supply chains are under pressure. That timing is not a coincidence. It is a recognition that security and economic stability are now fully connected.

For years, we have treated border security and trade policy as separate conversations. They are not.

If companies are going to invest in nearshoring, expand operations, and move supply chains closer to North America, they need more than favorable trade agreements. They need certainty. And certainty starts with security.

This is what I’m watching closely.

Can Mexico and the United States move beyond coordination and toward true integration on security strategy? Because without it, the full promise of USMCA and regional growth will remain limited.

At the same time, the stakes are getting higher. Global instability, including the conflict with Iran, is pushing companies to rethink where they operate. North America is the obvious answer—but only if we can deliver a secure and reliable environment.

So what should we be doing?

Leaders on both sides of the border must treat security as an economic priority, not just a law enforcement issue. That means deeper intelligence sharing, stronger institutional coordination, and real investment in border infrastructure and enforcement.

Because at the end of the day, companies do not invest where they feel exposed.

They invest where they feel protected, predictable, and positioned to grow.

On my flight back from Washington, D.C., I saw something that stuck with me.

A row ahead, actor and comedian Rob Schneider and his seatmate were completely locked into a phone screen, watching the World Baseball Classic final. No distractions. No conversation. Just focus.

Somewhere above the country, at 30,000 feet, while the world below dealt with war, politics, and rising tension, two people were absorbed in a game.

And they weren’t alone.

Across the hemisphere, millions were watching as Venezuela defeated Team USA 3–2 to win its first-ever World Baseball Classic title . A tight, dramatic game decided late. The kind of game that pulls you in, no matter where you’re from.

And that’s what made it powerful.

In a moment defined by geopolitical tension, here was a different kind of competition. Countries facing off not through conflict, but through sport. For nine innings, the noise quieted. The divisions softened. The focus shifted.

There is something almost ironic about it.

At a time when headlines are dominated by conflict and uncertainty, a team from Venezuela—a country often at the center of political strain—wins on a stage shared with the United States. Not as adversaries, but as competitors in a game.

For a few hours, the tension didn’t disappear. But it was suspended.

That is the quiet power of sports.

It reminds us that even in moments of division, there are still spaces where the world can come together—if only for a few innings.

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