Squawk Pod

Former President Donald Trump's political allies are crafting a plan to increase his  influence over the Federal Reserve , potentially even making him an "acting" member of the central bank’s board, according to The Wall Street Journal. Nick Timiraos, the Journal's Chief Economics Correspondent, discusses the  implications if Trump wins in November. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb weigh...

The Federal Trade Commission voted for a  nationwide ban against noncompete agreements , which companies use to prevent employees from taking jobs with competitors in the same industry. FTC Chair Lina Khan addresses the agency's decision for the ban, as well as the potential impacts on businesses and workers. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson and his Republican colleagues  faced opposition whe...

Google has fired 50 employees over sit-in  protests at the office. Yale Lecturer Joanne Lipman and The Verge’s Alex Heath discuss activism in the office, and tech’s inflection point with its employees. Jason Furman, a Democrat economist, is making his case against  President Biden’s student debt relief plan , arguing that it will make inflation worse. CNBC’s Steve Liesman is breaking down U.S. pro...

Elite university campuses are fraught with tension as students clash with each other and  college administrations over the Israel-Hamas War . Over 100 students have been arrested from  pro-Palestinian demonstrations on Yale, NYU, and Columbia campuses, videos of brazen antisemitism have gone viral, and one Rabbi in Columbia’s community encouraged Jewish students to go home for their own safety. NY...

At Columbia in New York, protests and antisemitism on campus have prompted a day of remote learning for student safety, as well as commentary from Mayor Eric Adams. In DC, the  House has passed a series of bills securing aid funding for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, as well as the divest-or-ban TikTok bill. CNBC’s Emily Wilkins reports on the legislation and its impact on Speaker Mike Johnson’s car...

After Israel’s retaliatory strike at Iran , NBC’s Raf Sanchez is on the ground in Tel Aviv, reporting that both countries are downplaying an escalation. Stateside, CNBC’s Emily Wilkins discusses the  TikTok divest-or-ban bill ’s road through Congress, including its vote this weekend. Former White House Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra explains the national security threats and TikTok’s road...

Caitlin Clark will make under $77,000 a year as the WNBA’s top pick, while her counterpart in the NBA will make $10.5m. CNBC’s Jon Fortt explains the gender gap in sports salaries and in revenues. Microsoft has found that  Russia’s election interference is already underway ; the company’s former cyber policy head and current chief public policy officer at SentinelOne Chris Krebs says it’s a group...

Months after a  Delaware judge voided Elon Musk’s pay package  from Tesla, Tesla is asking shareholders to  vote again on Musk’s $56B compensation deal . In a proxy statement, the company is also asking shareholders to approve moving Tesla’s incorporation from Delaware to Texas. Tulane Law professor Ann Lipton parses the proxy and the legal precedent for this shareholder vote. President Biden is h...

Days after  bitcoin’s weekend plunge and days before  the bitcoin halving , Galaxy Digital CEO Michael Novogratz discusses the trajectory of crypto assets amid geopolitical and monetary policy uncertainty.  Shares of Trump Media are down 60% from the company’s high in March, after its debut. Semafor business and finance editor Liz Hoffman discusses Truth Social, the platform  Trump Media owns, and...

In a first-ever direct attack,  Iran launched 300 drones and missiles at military targets inside Israel. The New York Times National Security Correspondent David Sanger explains the geopolitics at play in the Middle East and beyond, including the  roles of China and Russia in a conflict between Iran and Israel. CNBC’s Eamon Javers discusses  the US response in Washington , and CNBC’s Steve Liesman...

The Anti-Defamation League has released its Antisemitism Report Cards, grading U.S. universities on rates of antisemitism and administration responses to discrimination against Jewish students. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt explains why institutions like MIT, Harvard, and Princeton got failing grades, and what it means for prospective students. As food inflation rises, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vils...

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy sits down with Andrew Ross Sorkin at Amazon headquarters in Seattle, the morning Jassy published his annual letter to shareholders. In an extended, wide-ranging conversation with Andrew, Andy Jassy discusses AI-enabled transformations (like delivery drones!), building out technology for every part of the tech stack, and streaming sports on Amazon Prime. Plus, Jassy weighs in...

The Consumer Price Index came in hotter than expected, rising 3.5% from a year ago and 0.4% on the month. CNBC’s Rick Santelli and Steve Liesman break down the report and its implications for the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy with former Labor Department Chief Economist Betsey Stevenson. A  Boeing engineer has turned whistleblower , alleging issues on the Boeing aircraft assembly line. Former...

President Biden will host Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in the first White House visit from Japan’s PM since 2015. U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel discusses  geopolitics in Asia and managing a “frenemy” relationship with China. YouTuber group Dude Perfect has secured over $100m from investor Jason Illian, the general partner at Highmount Capital. They discuss the group's expansion be...

Former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino is watching the eclipse from Arkansas, square in the path of totality. He explains how to safely view the event, either with special glasses or with a pinhole camera. South Carolina women’s basketball defeated Caitlin Clark’s Iowa team in the NCAA championship. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, former Deloitte CEO, discusses the victory’s momentum for women’s...

After the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse , Baltimore is hoping to clear debris in the port and rebuild. Ahead of President Biden’s visit to the city, Maryland Governor discusses  Baltimore’s importance to the entire U.S. economy , and delivers a message to lawmakers in Washington reluctant to approve  federal funds for the rebuild . Venture capitalist Alan Patricof has seen many tech revolution...

Disney’s Bob Iger has won his boardroom proxy battle against Nelson Peltz. Media mogul and IAC Chairman Barry Diller weighs in on the evolution of entertainment, including the path forward for Disney, for  Paramount Global , and for streamers competing with Netflix. As founder of Fox Broadcasting and former CEO of Paramount, Diller shares his perspective on TikTok, AI, and a four-day workweek. Plu...

Billionaire hedge funder and Point72 CEO and Chairman Steve Cohen discusses his $2.4B purchase of the New York Mets, his investment in golf via the PGA and Tomorrow Golf League, and his bet on sports business. Cohen shares his view on AI equities and on the Federal Reserve’s goal of a 2% inflation rate. Plus, an update on the boardroom drama at Disney.    Steven Cohen - 10:52   In this episode: St...

Neuberger Berman senior portfolio manager Steve Eisman weighs in on the Federal Reserve’s interest rate debate; Eisman says, the economy is fine, and the Fed has no reason to cut rates this year. Former Flywheel CEO Sarah Robb O’Hagan explains her experiment with a four-day-workweek at her new company, Exos. Plus,  Disney’s future hangs in the balance of a board vote this week, shares of  Trump Me...

Half a million  California fast food workers are getting a pay bump, starting today. A  $20 minimum wage might be good for workers, but McDonald’s franchisee Scott Rodrick warns, it might mean higher costs for business owners and for consumers. In DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser struck a deal to keep the Washington Capitals and Wizards playing in their home city. Mayor Bowser explains the sports deal and...

Home Depot has made an $18B deal for SRS Distribution, attempting to expand its reach among home improvement professionals, and  Federal Reserve Governor Chris Waller says he’s in no rush to cut interest rates. Ahead of  FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried’s sentencing , Puck founding partner Teddy Schleifer considers the implications of the court proceeding, both for SBF and for America’s criminal just...

Robinhood has unveiled its first credit card, and it’s made of gold. CEO Vlad Tenev shares details of his company’s foray into credit, and he weighs in on Elon Musk’s hopes for payment processing on X, as well as meme stock mania. The  FDA has approved Merck’s treatment for a rare lung and cardiovascular condition, but the drug’s launch price is steep. Former FDA Commissioner and board member at P...

Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key bridge partially collapsed after being hit by a cargo ship; NBC’s Tom Costello is on the ground in Baltimore with details. In  Florida, the state has banned social media for children under 14, regardless of guardian consent.  BlackRock CEO Larry Fink is warning America: a retirement crisis is coming. The Wall Street Journal’s Chief Economics Commentator Greg Ip discus...

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun will step down at the end of 2024. After a tumultuous year for the company, Boeing is shifting leadership: board chair Larry Kellner will resign, as well as president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Stan Deal. Calhoun sits down with CNBC’s Phil LeBeau, in his first interview after the announcement. In a wide ranging conversation, the outgoing Boeing CEO explains the...

Reddit, after 19 years, is a public company . After listing on the NYSE, shares of the social media platform popped, pushing the market cap to $9.5B. The company offered some of its users and  moderators an opportunity to buy into the IPO , but CNBC.com reporter Jonathan Vanian explains that many chose not to do so. In a conversation exclusive to Squawk Pod, Vanian recounts the long, complicated r...