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It's been a while since we checked in on the state of Manhattan's ultra high end real estate market, and judging by what was said in the latest Starwood Property Trust earnings call, where CEO Barry Sternlicht warned of a doomsday waiting at the end of New York's "Billionaire's Row", what's coming is nothing short of a disaster.

After President Donald Trump warned on Friday that the US military is “locked and loaded” and presumably prepared for an all-out nuclear showdown with North Korea, administration officials engaged in that most artful of Trump-era maneuvers: softening the president’s rhetoric without appearing to undercut him.

• Korea tensions ease slightly as U.S. officials play down war risks (Reuters)
• Pence Plays Down Trump Threat on Venezuela (WSJ)
• Trump Pressed to Reject White Nationalist Groups (WSJ)
• White House Says Trump Abhors Neo-Nazis (BBG)
• Charlottesville, and the World, Take Stock of Violent Episode (NYT)
• Car Attack Suspect Had Shown Troubling Behavior (NYT)
• U.S. Default? Unlikely, But Bond Traders Are Taking No Chances (BBG)
• Voters sense betrayal in Britain's Brexit heartlands (Reuters)

This week on the MacroVoices podcast, host Erik Townsend interviewed Neil Howe, co-author of The Fourth Turning, an investing tract that’s found renewed relevance thanks to White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, who’s cited it as an inspiration for his (and by extension, President Donald Trump’s) worldview.

How close is the US to war with North Korea? That was the question several top military and national security advisors struggled to answer over the weekend, mitigating fears of an imminent nuclear war even as Trump raises geopolitical tensions and boosts bellicose rhetoric with every public appearance.

Speaking on "Fox News Sunday", and walking a fine line of backing Trump's tough talk but not wanting to raise the alarm at home, CIA Director Mike Pompeo said there’s no indication war will break out.