Squawk Pod

CNBC’s Alex Sherman reports on the inside story of a CEO succession plan gone awry at Disney — a cautionary tale of how good intentions clashed with ego and hubris at the highest levels of corporate America. Sherman spoke with more than two dozen people who worked closely with Disney’s last two CEOs, Bob Iger and Bob Chapek, between 2020 and 2022. His report features many never-before reported det...

At the 30th annual Baron Investment Conference, billionaire buy-and-hold investor Ron Baron explains why 10% of his portfolio is Tesla stock, and 4% is SpaceX. He’s Elon Musk’s biggest bull, and he shares his excitement about the “railroad to space” SpaceX is planning to build. A long-term investor and optimist, Baron explains why he has never owned a bond, and why he invests as much as he can, wh...

Senators Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah) have proposed their Fiscal Stability Act, as the deadline to avert a government shutdown approaches. The bipartisan colleagues discuss the government debt crisis, as well as leadership in both parties in the 2024 election cycle. CNBC Julia Boorstin interviewed  Disney CEO Bob Iger after the entertainment giant reported its Q4 results....

After testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee, former Facebook employee and former Instagram consultant Arturo Béjar joins Joe Kernen, Becky Quick, and Andrew Ross Sorkin to discuss his  calls for teen safety tools on Meta’s platforms . Béjar shares data on the number of teens who’ve experienced unwanted sexual advances on Instagram, as well as Meta’s responses to his calls for action. Al...

Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee says the U.S. central bank is making progress in its fight against inflation, but investors still don’t know  whether the Federal Reserve has finished hiking rates . Pollster Frank Luntz considers the political state of play on today’s Election Day, a year out from  the 2024 Presidential Election . He unpacks the top priorities and top candidates for young vot...

In three parts, Joe Kernen, Becky Quick, and Andrew Ross Sorkin unpack the intense conversations between college students, college administrators,  donor alumni , and employers regarding the ‘right’ way to respond to the Israel-Hamas War and the uptick in anti-semitism and islamophobia that has appeared in its wake. Former SEC Chair and University of Pennsylvania Adjunct Professor of Law Jay Clayt...

Sam Bankman-Fried was found guilty on all 7 criminal charges he faced in the weeks-long trial that captivated Wall Street and Main Street. CNBC’s Kate Rooney reports on the prison-time the FTX founder is facing (a maximum of 115 years), and the evidence that got him there. The SEC’s former Internet Enforcement Chief John Stark explains what the verdict means for crypto regulation going forward. Tr...

The Federal Reserve has left interest rates  as they are, in its latest decision. Neuberger Berman’s Steve Eisman, the portfolio manager profiled in “The Big Short,” breaks down Fed Chair Jay Powell’s latest remarks, the state of the economy, and the handling of the Israel-Hamas War on campus at his alma mater, University of Pennsylvania.  Palantir has reported a strong quarter , and CNBC’s Frank...

Legendary investor and hedge fund manager Stanley Druckenmiller explains his concerns about the U.S. debt and government aid for Ukraine and Israel. Druckenmiller, billionaire philanthropist and CEO of Duquesne Capital Management, weighs in on Janet Yellen’s leadership of the Treasury, American exceptionalism, and “drunken sailor” spending. Plus, a U.S. jury ruled that the National Association of...

After more than six weeks, the United Auto Workers union strikes have finally come to an end, though the tentative agreements must still be ratified by union members. Abroad, the World Bank is warning that  oil prices could soar if the Israel-Hamas War expands. Stateside, PIMCO’s Head of US Policy Libby Cantrill is telling her clients that the Presidential nominees are likely already set, and they...

The  United Auto Workers union  has reached a tentative deal with Stallantis. CNBC’s Phil LeBeau reports the details of the deal and the outlook for GM, which is still at the negotiating table. Two courtroom dramas are underway: Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai is testifying in the  DoJ’s antitrust case against Google , and disgraced  FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried  is testifying in his own fraud trial....

Disgraced FTX founder  Sam Bankman-Fried testified  in his own trial–without jurors. CNBC’s Kate Rooney was in the courtroom, and she shares details of what he said and how the judge responded. Former SEC Commissioner and attorney Jay Clayton joins to discuss the strategy of SBF’s defense team. Check out  Andrew Ross Sorkin’s interview with Sam Bankman-Fried  at the beginning of the saga–when he w...

It’s a deal! The  United Auto Workers union and Ford have reached a tentative deal  to end a nearly six-week strike. CNBC’s Phil LeBeau explains the terms of the agreement, and what’s next for the remaining UAW strikes. After more than 3 weeks without a leader, the House  Republicans have backed Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) as their new Speaker. Plus, as the death toll in  the Israel-Hamas War rises...

House Republicans have settled (for now) on another  nominee for Speaker: Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) . A bipartisan  group of 42 attorneys general is suing Meta , alleging that its apps are addictive and aimed at their youngest users. Wharton Professor, author, organizational psychologist, and “Re: Thinking” podcaster Adam Grant discusses his new book, “Hidden Potential.” He shares his advice for u...

Apple supplier  Foxconn is reportedly facing a tax investigation in China. Apple’s other issue these days: Chinese e-commerce retailers are offering iPhone 15s at a steep discount, raising questions about demand for Apple products. Professor, former CEO, and biographer of both Steve Jobs and Elon Musk Walter Isaacson discusses the tricky terrain for a corporation like Apple, navigating Chinese and...

It’s a merger Monday!  Chevron is buying Hess for $53B in the second huge oil transaction in weeks. Becky Quick shares details on the deal from her conversation with Chevron CEO Michael Wirth, and Joe Kernen and Andrew Ross Sorkin consider the implications of the deal for the American energy ecosystem.  Nine new Republicans have joined the race for Speaker , but no clear resolution to the legislat...

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome  Powell spoke at the Economic Club of New York , telling Wall Street and Main Street that inflation is too high, but interest rates are not. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic discusses the road ahead for the central bank’s resolute commitment to bringing inflation down to 2%, and suggests that  more hikes could come in 2024.  In DC, the  House is set to vote again f...

Co-founder of Silver Lake, co-chair of Brookings, and chairman of North Island Glenn Hutchins discusses the geopolitics at play in  the Israel-Hamas War , including what’s at stake for global actors at the Saudi Arabia Investors Conference next week. He also shares his reasoning on why so far, the conflict has had little impact on the markets. The House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Pa...

Corporate and university leaders are wavering on public statements about the Israel-Hamas War. Yeshiva University President Rabbi Ari Berman has created a coalition and a statement of “truths” to help those leaders navigate and educate the campus movements making headlines. He underscores the importance of differentiating between Hamas and Palestinians.  United Airlines reported better than expect...

President Biden is headed to the Middle East . Former Supreme Allied Commander of Nato Admiral James Stavridis discusses the explicit and implicit politics at play in the Presidential trip to Israel and Jordan. Guggenheim Partners Executive Chair Alan Schwartz discusses his outlook for recession and the greatest risks to the American economy. The last CEO of Bear Stearns also explains his concern...

As the Israel-Hamas War begins its second week, historian and economist Daniel Yergin considers the impact of a regional conflict on  global energy markets . Harvard professor, author, and happiness expert Arthur Brooks weighs the pressures on America’s corporate and educational leaders to speak out on current events like the war, in light of recent  calls to action from Apollo CEO Marc Rowan and ...

After 22 months, Microsoft has closed its  $69.5B acquisition of Activision Blizzard . So what now? Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick reflects on the long road to regulatory approval, and what’s next for gaming and for Activision-turned-Microsoft employees. After building Activision into the gaming giant it is today, Kotick considers his own next chapter and his legacy as CEO. And the White Hou...

How is Hamas funded? TRM Labs Head of Global Policy and former federal prosecutor Ari Redbord discusses how his company tracks Hamas fundraising on the blockchain, and how Israeli and US law enforcement are tracing terror financing on crypto networks. Plus, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, a University of Pennsylvania alumni and Chairman of its Wharton School board, is urging fellow alumni...

Exxon Mobil has struck a $59.5 billion deal to acquire Pioneer Natural Resources in an all-stock merger. Pioneer Natural Resources CEO Scott Sheffield and Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods discuss how the deal came about, potential regulatory hurdles, and what role fossil fuels will play in our future. Incidents of religious-based hate and discrimination are on the rise as the fifth day of fighting in ...

Founder of both the Tudor Investment and the Robin Hood Foundation Paul Tudor Jones shares his perspective on the economy and the markets, from  interest rates and bond yields to equities prices and crypto. The billionaire hedge funder weighs in on America’s greatest geopolitical and economic challenges. Jones also explains  Robin Hood’s work to support asylum seekers in NYC and highlights the non...