Three months into President Trump’s second term , pollster Frank Luntz explains voter sentiment. While conservative and liberal Americans remain steadfast, Luntz says the political center has been disappointed with the execution of the promises it voted for. After a brief but heated spat between the White House and Amazon, President Trump has called Jeff Bezos a “good guy.” Wired Editor-at-Large Steven Levy explains Amazon’s idea–and then rejection–of marking the cost of tariffs on its low-cost ...
Apr 30, 2025•42 min
The Trump administration will reduce some of the crippling tariffs for automakers . CNBC’s Phil LeBeau explains the potential impact on General Motors , and former Ford President Mark Fields explains how other automakers are preparing their supply chains for the White House’s trade agenda. The “Big 6” GOP leaders have met at the Capitol to discuss a mega-bill; attendee House Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Jason Smith explains his party’s revenue agenda. Plus, Nike is in hot water with shareholder ...
Apr 29, 2025•44 min
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discusses the state of global tariff negotiations ; he says talks are ongoing, but it’s up to China to de-escalate . Secretary Bessent also warns that the Trump administration has an “escalation ladder” to climb, should it need more leverage in trade talks. Boardroom co-founder and CEO Rich Kleiman and MLB veteran pitcher CC Sabathia discuss the next era of baseball. The MLB is considering ways to better engage fans, including speeding up the pace of play. Plus, ...
Apr 28, 2025•44 min
Axios White House reporter Marc Caputo and former U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns discuss the trade talks–or lack thereof–between the U.S. and China. Between comments from the Chinese embassy and President Trump’s interview with Time, the public has conflicting accounts of where trade negotiations currently stand. Plus, Apple may move manufacturing of its US iPhones to India , Google parent Alphabet has reported a beat on earnings, and Paramount is in talks with the FCC over its merger w...
Apr 25, 2025•32 min
Ahead of the Chevron Championship in Houston, Becky Quick sits down with LPGA golfers Amy Alcott and Stacy Lewis. Alcott, a hall of famer and Chevron Champion, reflects on the history of fandom for women’s sports and the current momentum for sponsorships and viewership. Lewis, a competitor in the Chevron this week, explains golfing strategy off the green; for the athletes and fans of women’s sports, the time is now for investment and publicity. To watch Stacy Lewis and her competitors at the Che...
Apr 24, 2025•15 min
Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack was once a market participant at Goldman Sachs; she’s a policymaker now, but she says she’s still watching the markets during periods of volatility. Google is still under antitrust scrutiny , but regulation may affect AI innovation. Aravind Srinivas, CEO of AI engine Perplexity, discusses Google’s contributions to its competitors and the future of AI. Plus, Fed Chair Jay Powell , China , the Kentucky Derby, and even millionaires are caught in President Trump’...
Apr 24, 2025•43 min
After news that Harvard is suing the Trump administration over its threats to cut funding, ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt discusses antisemitism on college campuses and beyond. Plus, Washington Post reporter Faiz Siddiqui discusses his new book about Elon Musk’s leadership: “Hubris Maximus: The Shattering of Elon Musk.” Third Point CEO Dan Loeb spoke on Tuesday night about his belief in the resilience of the American economy, while President Trump backtracked his previous comments and said he has n...
Apr 23, 2025•40 min
President Trump intensified attacks on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, fueling market volatility and concerns over the central bank’s independence. At the Chevron Leadership Initiative's CoMission Champions of Women in Sports event, Becky Quick sits down with Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon to discuss market volatility, trade policy, economic uncertainty, and investing in women’s sports. Facebook co-founder and chair of the Economic Security Project Chris Hughes is out with a new book, “Mar...
Apr 22, 2025•47 min
Pope Francis, the Argentine Jesuit and Roman Catholic pontiff, has died at age 88. Joe Kernen, Becky Quick, and Andrew Ross Sorkin reflect on his impact on the business community, and Andrew recalls his interview with the Pope just before the Covid-19 pandemic. President Donald Trump intensified his criticism of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell , calling him a “major loser” and warning of a potential economic slowdown if interest rates are not lowered immediately. Krishna Guha, Evercore IS...
Apr 21, 2025•39 min
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is in Beijing , just as U.S. officials are eyeing his company’s supply of AI chips to DeepSeek. CNBC’s Kristina Partsinevelos explains the line between maintaining competition and preserving national security when it comes to tech infrastructure. Federal Reserve chair Jay Powell expressed concern that the central bank could be caught between controlling inflation and supporting economic growth, as tariffs contribute to economic uncertainty. President Trump responded, call...
Apr 17, 2025•39 min
The Trump administration’s standoff with Harvard has frozen $2.2B in grants to the university. Representative Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is a Harvard alumna as well as Chairwoman of the Republican Leadership, and she’s calling to “defund Harvard.” For Rep. Stefanik, the government has a right to demand changes on campus and to withhold grant money. She discusses issues of free speech and antisemitism on college campuses. In his first interview since leaving office, former SEC Chair Gary Gensler weigh...
Apr 16, 2025•45 min
The Trump administration is investigating semiconductors and pharmaceutical ingredients, the first steps toward tariffs in those industries. Former FDA Commissioner and board member at Pfizer and Illumina Dr. Scott Gottlieb shares his concern that if costs get any higher for generics like heparin, hydrocortisone, and amoxicillin, drugmakers might stop manufacturing them. Dr. Gottlieb explains America’s pharma supply chain through China and India, as well as the thin margins on some of the most c...
Apr 15, 2025•43 min
President Trump exempted consumer technology and components from his reciprocal tariffs on Friday, though by the end of the weekend, his advisors warned that those exemptions may not be permanent . Apple has reportedly increased its iPhone production in India to avoid the impact of the White House’s tariffs on goods imported from China. In an extended conversation, former Federal Reserve Chair and former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen weighs in on the Trump administration’s tariff agenda , as w...
Apr 14, 2025•45 min
This bonus episode of Squawk Pod, from our partners at “The Keynote” features a leader at the forefront of women’s sports. Seattle Storm Forward Nneka Ogwumike has already built her legacy as a WNBA Champion with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2016. TheMVP of league (also 2016). The first overall pick in 2012, and before that she brought Stanford to the Final Four, four years in a row. Now after the players opted out of their collective bargaining agreement her next challenge will be leading negotiat...
Apr 12, 2025•20 min
China strikes back at the U.S. with 125% tariffs on goods – CNBC’s Eunice Yoon reports on the latest. BCA Research’s Marko Papic says it’s dangerous to get overly bearish in a policy-induced recession. Plus, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari says the market trends show that investors are increasingly moving away from the U.S. as the safest place to invest while President Trump’s tariff tensions continue to rise. Meanwhile, in the nation’s capital, the House paves the way for Trump’s “big, ...
Apr 11, 2025•51 min
Just days after the White House shut down rumors of a potential pause on tariffs, the world reacts to a swift reversal . National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett discusses the market’s reaction to President Trump declaring a 90-day pause on tariffs and how a spike in the bond market possibly changed negotiations. Plus, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy sits down in an exclusive interview at the company’s headquarters, saying he believes sellers will pass increased tariffs costs on to consumers. Mean...
Apr 10, 2025•1 hr 6 min
Senator Elizabeth Warren weighs in on legislation aimed at repealing President Trump’s tariffs by canceling the emergency declaration used to justify them, saying that tariffs can be useful tools when used correctly – which is not the case right now. Meanwhile, Apollo CEO Marc Rowan said he’s seeing things slow down due to the economic uncertainty, but we’re not in a recession yet. Plus, CNBC’s Robert Frank reports on why the bond market may be the biggest risk to the president’s tax bill, China...
Apr 09, 2025•53 min
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calls China’s tariff escalation a “big mistake,” adding that he expects the U.S. to be able to reach deals with its trading partners. On the other hand, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul says while he supports President Donald Trump, he does not support tariffs, emphasizing that every trade relationship is mutually beneficial. Plus, Apple is reportedly planning to source more iPhones from India after Trump’s China tariffs, and Shopify CEO Tobi Lutke told employees that ...
Apr 08, 2025•45 min
Peter Navarro - 22:06 In this episode: Peter Navarro, @RealPNavarro Leslie Picker, @LesliePicker Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
Apr 07, 2025•40 min
China announced a 34% retaliatory tariff on all goods imported from the U.S. on Friday morning following President Trump’s decision to slap steep tariffs on many countries. University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business professor Jeremy Siegel calls Trump’s actions the “biggest policy mistake in 95 years.” Meanwhile, in the nation’s capital, Senators Maria Cantwell and Chuck Grassley introduced bipartisan legislation to give Congress more power in setting and approving trade policy. Sen. ...
Apr 04, 2025•40 min
In remarks in the Rose Garden on April 2, President Trump announced steep tariff rates on many countries, including 34% on China, 20% on the European Union, 46% on Vietnam and 32% on Taiwan. Citi Wealth CIO Kate Moore explains the implications for the markets, and CNBC’s Steve Liesman explains the administration’s calculus in arriving at these numbers . Courtney Reagan and Phil LeBeau report on how retailers and automakers are navigating the changes. Finally, an extended interview with the offic...
Apr 03, 2025•59 min
More details on President Trump’s tariff plans are imminent, but Ontario Premier Doug Ford says POTUS can spare the trouble; Canada would be willing to drop its own tariffs, if the United States agreed to drop tariffs, as well. TikTok US buyers are lining up , as the deadline for Bytedance’s divestiture looms. Plus, OpenAI has made its first investment in cybersecurity: Adaptive Security. The company’s co-founder and CEO Brian Long explains how to mitigate risks to your own security and offers a...
Apr 02, 2025•32 min
The reconciliation bill remains stalled in Congress. Senator Bill Cassidy (R- Louisiana) says the government must first reel in its “out-of-control” spending and debt to defend the American Dream. John Hope Bryant weighs in on why he believes financial literacy needs to be taught to every American at every education level. Plus, OpenAI closes a funding round at $40 billion, the largest private tech deal on record, Johnson & Johnson loses in court again in its bid to settle talc cases and sha...
Apr 01, 2025•37 min
The FDA’s top vaccine official has resigned from the agency, citing what he called “misinformation and lies” from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. about vaccinations. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb discusses the official’s departure, the U.S. measles outbreak , and the importance of bolstering public trust in science and health systems. Former antitrust assistant attorney general Makan Delrahim discusses the future of M&A under the second Trump administration, and investors an...
Mar 31, 2025•39 min
Ahead of CoreWeave’s first trade , CEO and co-founder Mike Intrator discusses the company’s value in the AI ecosystem, including for clients like Microsoft, IBM, and OpenAI. Despite pricing at the bottom of the company’s listing price range, CoreWeave’s debut is the biggest venture-backed tech IPO in years, potentially signalling a shift in market appetite for IPOs. Senator Chris Coons (D-Connecticut) discusses the DOGE-prompted division among lawmakers and American citizens alike after Elon Mus...
Mar 28, 2025•48 min
After a Signal group chat of government officials discussing pending military strikes inadvertently looped in a journalist, Vice Chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence Senator Mike Warner (D-Virginia) called for two of those officials, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, to resign. Sen. Warner discusses his concerns about national security and competence in the administration. Plus, a US judge has set Boeing’s 737 Max fraud trial , and th...
Mar 26, 2025•30 min
Tariffs have rattled the markets , but Carlyle co-founder and chairman David Rubenstein says they won’t push us into a recession. He suspects M&A could pick up soon, though at a discount. Rubenstein discusses owning the Orioles and his departure from the chairman role at The Kennedy Center. “How to Build a Happy Life” host and AEI President Emeritus Arthur Brooks has hope for America’s future, despite partisan vitriol. Plus, a Signal group chat has made it out of the White House and into new...
Mar 25, 2025•41 min
Columbia University agreed to some demands set by the Trump administration , restoring $400m in federal funds to the institution. University of Chicago president Paul Alivisatos says the deal is concerning, and it is indicative of a crisis of trust in higher education. Co-founder of Dreamworks Jeffrey Katzenberg is betting on Aura, a company that uses AI to protect kids and families online. Aura founder and CEO Hari Ravishandran joins Katzenberg to explain the tools parents can use to keep their...
Mar 24, 2025•37 min
President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education . If Congress approves the dissolution, former U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings argues that states will need to make up for the data, oversight, and funds that the department currently handles for American students. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb discusses the spread of avian flu and its impact on America’s food supply and its egg prices. Plus, the New York Times reported that...
Mar 21, 2025•34 min
In its latest decision, the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady. The U.S. markets rallied on Fed Chair Jay Powell’s comments that the economy is still strong. Nvidia rallied as well; CEO Jensen Huang discussed tariffs , bringing chip manufacturing onshore, and tech innovation. Over a dozen leaders in the U.S. oil and gas industry met at the White House on Wednesday. Energy Secretary Chris Wright discusses that meeting and President Trump’s agenda for American power. Plus, tennis lege...
Mar 20, 2025•35 min
