We live in a time when it seems that with every new social media post, Trump shapes energy prices—and with them, the fate of our wallets. That was the case just days ago, when he unexpectedly announced a blockade of Iranian ports aimed at preventing oil exports, at least as long as the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to international transit. Although this is primarily a negotiating tactic by which the United States seeks to force Iran into a swift compromise, the effect of this saber-rattling is immediate: the price of crude oil on international markets once again exceeded $100 per barrel.

In working with company leadership teams, I repeatedly observe an interesting gap between understanding and practice. There is hardly anyone who wouldn’t emphasize that communication is important—sometimes even critical. And yet, in reality, it often appears at the very end of decision-making processes—as something that follows, rather than something that co-creates.

There is an interesting paradox: the more it seems that television is losing its power, the more politicians — at least the most experienced ones — treat it as a matter of life and death. The conduct of Janez Janša, president of the SDS and leader of the opposition, is today one of the clearest pieces of evidence that televised debates are not a relic of the analog past, but remain one of the key channels through which elections are decided.

“Russia is forced to do something terrible in order to restore its credibility” — this is a sentence Kremlin ideologues broadcast to the world. In the Trump 2.0–style global order, only brutality, force, and the willingness to destroy seem to count. Yet while great powers play with fire, redefining the rules of the global order and co-creating new spheres of interest, we must ask ourselves something entirely different: Where do small states fit into this equation? Where is Slovenia in all this?

When I think about brand identity, the idea of a paradox keeps circling in my mind: identity must be constant, yet at the same time it must be alive and keep pace with the times. When trends, technologies, and algorithms change faster than the seasons, it’s not necessarily the loudest brand that convinces, but the one we recognize effortlessly. Not because it is everywhere, but because it is consistent—in its decisions, its behavior, and the way it treats people.

After almost a quarter of a century, the possibility of political continuity is once again opening up in Slovenian politics. Not necessarily in the form of an electoral victory for the currently largest party, but in the very real possibility that, after the elections, the same political camp—and even the same prime minister—could once again form a government. In a political space accustomed to constant turnover, new faces, and short political memory, this is not an insignificant moment. It therefore calls for analysis rather than cheerleading.

At the start of the week, I commented for the Slovenian Press Agency (STA) on the release of the new U.S. National Security Strategy. Because this is a document that will have long-term implications for Europe and for the future of transatlantic relations, what follows is an expanded version of that assessment—with more context and clearer emphases than the format of an agency newswire allows.

In strategic communication, the bottleneck is usually not that organizations have nothing to say. It’s that we often haven’t agreed on what the core message is, who we are speaking to, and what evidence supports it. When that isn’t in place, communication slips into reacting: one more post, one more message, one more “opportunistic” text. Lots of activity—little meaning.

Let me start by saying that I voted yes in the referendum. For the second time. Before doing so, I had a serious conversation with myself. I had already reflected publicly on this issue once—largely because of my experience with my grandmother—but ultimately, I realized I do not want to decide other people’s fate. Everyone should decide for themselves. I believe every person has the right to say goodbye in the manner they choose. So who am I to appoint myself as a judge?