Today, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cleared a major hurdle to becoming the nation's chief health officer. WSJ’s Liz Essley Whyte on Kennedy’s history and the heated lead-up to a full Senate vote. Further Reading: -RFK Jr. Clears Committee Vote, Putting Him on Track to Become Health Secretary -RFK Jr. Backs Vaccines and Trump’s Agenda in Senate Testimony -How RFK Jr. Transformed From Green Hero to Vaccine Skeptic Further Listening: -Even Doctors Are Frustrated With Health Insurance -PepsiCo’s New Health...
Feb 04, 2025•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast The White House announced wide-ranging tariffs against the U.S.'s biggest trading partners: Mexico, Canada and China. At the last minute, both Canada and Mexico negotiated a pause. WSJ’s Gavin Bade unpacks the significance of the tariffs and the latest updates. Further Reading: -Trump Slaps Tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China in Opening Salvo of Trade War -Trump Aides Hunt for 11th-Hour Deal to Dial Back Canada-Mexico Tariffs Further Listening: -Trump 2.0 A Whiplash on Federal Spending -Trump 2....
Feb 03, 2025•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast The collision of American Airlines flight 5342 and an Army helicopter is the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in 23 years. But there were warning signs. WSJ's Benjamin Katz reports on recent safety concerns about D.C.'s increasingly busy airspace and explains where the investigation goes next. Further Listening: -Your Flight Delay Is Probably New York's Fault Further Reading: -How a Plane and a Helicopter Collided in a Crowded Airspace Around Reagan Airport -Washington’s Jam-Packed Airspa...
Jan 31, 2025•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ryan Knutson and Molly Ball round up the week’s news including nomination hearings, inspectors general firings and the airplane crash in D.C. Plus, they speak to WSJ’s Washington coverage chief Damian Paletta about the administration's freeze on potentially trillions of dollars in government financial assistance. Further Listening: - Trump 2.0: A Fast Start to a Second Term - Trump’s Immigration Overhaul Further Reading: - White House Budget Freeze Tried to Flip Script on Busted Budget Process -...
Jan 31, 2025•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast In 2021, President Donald Trump sued Meta after his accounts were suspended in the wake of the January 6 riot. WSJ’s Rebecca Ballhaus explains why Mark Zuckerberg agreed to settle for $25 million yesterday. Further Reading: - Meta to Pay $25 Million to Settle 2021 Trump Lawsuit - Meta Ends Fact-Checking on Facebook, Instagram in Free-Speech Pitch - ABC News to Pay $15 Million to Settle Donald Trump Defamation Lawsuit Further Listening: - Corporate America's Embrace of Trump 2.0 - The End of Face...
Jan 30, 2025•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Last week, the Chinese company DeepSeek debuted a new AI model -- and overturned years of conventional wisdom about what it takes to build great AI. The shock unleashed a $1 trillion bloodbath on Wall Street. WSJ’s Stu Woo and WSJ’s Gunjan Banerji unpack DeepSeek's achievement and the market chaos it unleashed. Further Reading: -How China’s DeepSeek Outsmarted America -The Day DeepSeek Turned Tech and Wall Street Upside Down Further Listening: -The Company Behind Chat GPT -The Hidden Workforce T...
Jan 29, 2025•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Some of the world’s most prominent names in technology are pledging billions to build artificial-intelligence infrastructure in the U.S. in a joint venture called Stargate. Notably missing? Microsoft. WSJ’s Tom Dotan explains how the partnership that launched the AI boom has deteriorated. Further Reading: - Tech Leaders Pledge up to $500 Billion in AI Investment in U.S. - OpenAI’s Stargate Deal Heralds Shift Away From Microsoft - Musk Pours Cold Water on Trump-Backed Stargate AI Project Further ...
Jan 28, 2025•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Donald Trump has wasted no time in dismantling DEI programs in the federal government and pressuring private companies to do the same. As WSJ's Chip Cutter reports, Trump’s actions could reshape corporate America. Further Listening: - Corporate America's Embrace of Trump 2.0 - One Man’s Campaign Against DEI Further Reading: - How Trump’s Assault on DEI Will Ripple Across Corporate America - Why Costco Isn’t Joining the Backlash Against DEI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph...
Jan 27, 2025•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast An iconic chain that became known for its fun cocktails and family dining, TGI Fridays has seen a sharp decline in recent years, leading to a bankruptcy filing in November. WSJ’s Heather Haddon explains the company’s unraveling and a former CEO talks about his plans to keep the chain alive. Further Listening: - Red Lobster's New CEO Plots Its Comeback - McDonald’s Wants To Offer Quality And Value. Can It Do Both? Further Reading: - The Epic Mess at TGI Fridays - TGI Fridays Ex-CEO Blanchette to ...
Jan 24, 2025•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ryan Knutson and Molly Ball are back! This time to unpack the new administration's first 100 days. Today, we discuss President Trump’s slew of executive orders and what they tell us about the next four years. Plus, they speak to WSJ’s Sadie Gurman about changes taking shape at the Justice department. Further Listening: - Trump Declares a ‘Golden Age’ for America - Trump’s Immigration Overhaul Further Reading: - Trump’s Immigration Playbook: Breaking Down His Moves This Week - Trump Takes Office ...
Jan 24, 2025•26 min•Transcript available on Metacast The crypto industry has hailed President Trump as a savior. But shortly before his inauguration, Trump made a surprise move that shook the crypto world. WSJ’s Vicky Ge Huang explains the president’s new cryptocurrency and why it has ruffled feathers. Further Reading: -$TRUMP Is Already Worth Billions. What to Know About the Meme Coin. -Crypto Thought Trump Would Bring It Legitimacy. Then He Launched a Meme Coin. Further Listening: -Bitcoin Hit $100k. What's Next? -Inside the Trump Crypto Bromanc...
Jan 23, 2025•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Shortly after taking office on Monday, President Trump signed several immigration executive orders. WSJ’s Michelle Hackman reports on the new administration’s plans to curtail legal and illegal immigration and on the new border czar who’s leading the efforts. Further Listening: - Trump Declares a ‘Golden Age’ for America - Why Biden Is Cracking Down on Asylum at the Border Further Reading and Watching: - Why Trump’s Immigration Plans Will Upend U.S. Agriculture - The Trump Border Czar Who Wants ...
Jan 22, 2025•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast President Trump tried to ban TikTok during his first term, but now he’s being hailed as the app’s savior. WSJ’s Georgia Wells explains the saga to make a deal with the Chinese-owned social media app. Further Reading: -TikTok Restoring Service for U.S. Users, After Trump Signals He Will Save It -What Happens Now That TikTok’s Gone Dark? Further Listening: -The TikTok Ban Goes to the Supreme Court -Readers Can’t Get Enough of BookTok. Publishers Are Cashing In. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...
Jan 21, 2025•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today, Donald Trump was sworn in as president for a second time. WSJ’s Natalie Andrews discusses Trump’s inaugural address. And we hear from Trump supporters who gathered in Washington D.C. to celebrate. Further Listening: -The Scramble Is on to Fill Trump’s Cabinet -What a Republican Congress Could Mean for Trump Further Reading: -President Declares New 'Golden Age' for the U.S. -Trump Trashed Washington for Years. Now He’s Vowing to Make Over the City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...
Jan 20, 2025•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a special video edition of The Journal, WSJ's Ryan Knutson sits down with Ben Shapiro of The Ben Shapiro Show and Preet Bharara of Stay Tuned with Preet in the Spotify mobile studio in Washington DC. We discuss how new media has shaped politics and how politics has shaped a new era of media. Further Listening: Corporate America’s Embrace of Trump 2.0 The End of Facebook’s Content Moderation Era Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 20, 2025•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast CEOs of major companies are preparing for a second Trump administration, taking trips to Mar-a-Lago and contributing millions to his inauguration fund. WSJ's Chip Cutter explains corporate America's new strategy for engaging with the incoming U.S. president. Further Reading: -The CEOs Who Are Tearing Up the Policies Trump Hates -Corporate America Drew Back From DEI. The Upheaval Isn’t Over. Further Listening: -DOGE: The Plan to Downsize the Government -How One Business Owner Is Getting Ahead of ...
Jan 17, 2025•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast On Wednesday, mediators announced a deal between Israel and Hamas to pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip, opening up a pathway to end the 15-month war. But Israel has yet to finalize the deal. WSJ’s Anat Peled unpacks what we know about the deal and the sticking points to getting it done. Further Listening: -The Risk of an All-Out War in the Middle East -What the Ceasefire in Lebanon Means for the Middle East -The Brutal Calculation of Hamas's Leader Further Reading: -Israel, Hamas Agree to Dea...
Jan 16, 2025•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast After harrowing probes in the 1990s, Swiss banks thought they’d come to terms with their WWII-era ties to Nazis. But WSJ’s Margot Patrick explains how documents newly unearthed from bank archives include shocking revelations. Further Reading: -Nazi Ties to Credit Suisse Ran Deeper Than Was Known, Hidden Files Reveal Further Listening: -What Just Happened at Credit Suisse? -The Financial Legacy of the Nuclear Tests on Bikini Atoll Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Jan 15, 2025•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast How close is artificial intelligence to building a catastrophic bioweapon or causing other superhuman damage? WSJ's Sam Schechner reports on the team at Anthropic testing for AI dangers. And the team leader, Logan Graham, explains how the tests work. Further Listening: -Artificial: The OpenAI Story -The Big Changes Tearing OpenAI Apart Further Reading: -Their Job Is to Push Computers Toward AI Doom -AI Startup Anthropic Raising Funds Valuing It at $60 Billion Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...
Jan 14, 2025•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles has been decimated by some of the worst fires in U.S. history. On Friday, WSJ’s Katherine Sayre accompanied two residents who went back to see what is left of their homes. Further Reading: -The Palisades Residents Who Took Long Journeys to See What’s Left of Their Lives -Their Wealth Is in Their Homes. Their Homes Are Now Ash. Further Listening: -The Race to Save an Iconic Train From Falling Into the Ocean Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ...
Jan 13, 2025•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments challenging the federal law that requires TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, to either shut down or find a new owner. WSJ’s Jess Bravin breaks down the arguments from each side. Further Listening: -How TikTok Became The World’s Favorite App -A TikTok Star Wrestles With the App's Possible Ban -What's Up With All the TikTok Bans? -House Passes Bill to Ban TikTok Further Reading: -Supreme Court Questions TikTok’s Arguments Against Ban ...
Jan 10, 2025•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced this week that Facebook, Instagram and Threads would dramatically dial back content moderation and end fact checking. WSJ’s Jeff Horwitz explains what that means for the social media giant. Further Reading: -Social-Media Companies Decide Content Moderation Is Trending Down -Meta Ends Fact-Checking on Facebook, Instagram in Free-Speech Pitch Further listening: -Meta Is Struggling to Boot Pedophiles Off Facebook and Instagram -Is Fighting Misinformation Censorshi...
Jan 09, 2025•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Once fierce rivals, Japanese car giants Honda and Nissan recently announced their plans to merge in 2026. The deal would create the world’s 3rd largest automaker. WSJ’s Sean McLain reports on why Nissan struggled in recent years and the challenges the merged company would face. Further Listening: -Inside Carlos Ghosn's Escape From Japan -The Future of Self-Driving Cars Is Here Further Reading: -Nissan Needs a Honda Rescue. What Went So Wrong? -Honda, Nissan Plan to Create World’s No. 3 Automaker...
Jan 08, 2025•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he would resign. He is the latest global progressive leader to fall from power. WSJ’s Vipal Monga reports on Trudeau’s legacy and downfall. Further Listening: -A Murder That Sparked a Diplomatic Crisis -Canada’s Trucker Protests Further Reading: -Trudeau to Resign as Voters Sour on His Vision for Canada -The Populist Vying to Lead Canada and End a Decade of Liberalism -The Progressive Moment in Global Politics Is Over Learn more about your ad choices. ...
Jan 07, 2025•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Netflix was known for its “no rules” culture that executives say attracted the best talent. But as it’s grown, the company has pulled back on some of that freedom, including its generous parental leave. WSJ’s Jessica Toonkel explains why Netflix is changing the culture that fueled its success, and what it means for employees. Further Reading: -Netflix’s Extraordinary Parental Leave Was Part of Its Culture. That’s Over. -Netflix Is Rethinking Employee Freedom, a Core Tenet of Its Vaunted Culture ...
Jan 06, 2025•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast After decades of manufacturing in the United States moving overseas, there are calls to bring it back. But doing that is not straightforward. WSJ’s Suzanne Kapner and the founder of American Giant explain how that company produced inexpensive T-shirts in the U.S. Further Reading: -How a $12.98 T-Shirt Is Made in America—at a Profit Further Listening: -How One Business Owner Is Getting Ahead of Trump's Tariffs -China, an Alabama Business and a 20-Year Battle Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...
Jan 03, 2025•20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Gunmen of the Gulf Clan, a drug-trafficking militia in Colombia, are seizing tunnels inside one of the largest gold motherlodes in Latin America. The mine belongs to Zijin Mining Group, a Chinese company, which says it has surrendered nearly two-thirds of its tunnels and lost an estimated $200 million worth of gold in 2023. WSJ's Juan Forero reports. This episode has been updated to include comment from the Gulf Clan. Further Reading: -A Drug Gang Stole 3 Tons of Gold in a Scam So Perfect It’s S...
Jan 02, 2025•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Last year, China’s foreign minister, Qin Gang, suddenly disappeared. Qin was a rising star in Chinese politics and a protegé of China’s strongman leader, Xi Jinping. In the first episode of our three-part investigation, we chart Qin’s rise and begin to untangle the mystery of his disappearance. This series was originally published in October. Further Listening:- Episode 2: The Affair - Apple | Spotify - Episode 3: The Downfall - Apple | Spotify We'll be back with something new on January 2. Lear...
Dec 30, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Mariah Carey released "All I Want for Christmas Is You" in 1994 to moderate success. Today, the song is a megahit and Christmas playlist staple. What happened? WSJ's John Jurgensen called up the "Queen of Christmas" to find out. This episode was originally published on December 11, 2020.We'll return with something new on January 2. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 24, 2024•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast James Bond is one of Hollywood's most famous characters. So when Amazon bought the rights to distribute Bond, executives had big plans for the brand’s intellectual property. But so far, Amazon hasn't made a single Bond movie. WSJ’s Erich Schwartzel takes us inside the feud that’s tying up the franchise. Further Reading: -Where Is James Bond? Trapped in an Ugly Stalemate With Amazon Further Listening: -Why Hollywood Is Betting Big on 'Wicked' -Why 'Yellowstone' Is One of TV's Most Expensive Shows...
Dec 20, 2024•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
