Squawk Pod

In the wake of President Trump’s meeting with Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy joins heads of state from Germany, France, the UK, and other European leaders in Washington, DC. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker explains the concessions on the table for peace in Ukraine. A group of Senate Democrats have written a letter urging President Trump to rethink US chip sales to China. In a debate about that industrial policy and the impact of a potential government stake in Intel, former economic advisor for President Trump Stephen Moore joins former Treasury official under President Biden, Natasha Sarin. Plus, investors await the Federal Reserve’s annual symposium this upcoming Friday in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss are aiming to capitalize on an open IPO window. Matthew Whitaker - 16:07 Natasha Sarin & Stephen Moore - 29:53 In this episode: Eamon Javers, @EamonJavers Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

The 5 things you need to know before the stock market opens today: Tesla is reportedly offering discounts to car leasing companies in the UK, Novo Nordisk received FDA approval for a liver disease treatment, Samsung’s phone shipments to the U.S. surged in the second quarter, tech company supplier Foxconn will operate a U.S. factory as a joint venture with Softbank, OpenAI, and Oracle, and the Warner Brothers horror film “Weapons” remained number one at the weekend box office. Squawk Box is hosted by Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin. Follow Squawk Pod for the best moments, interviews and analysis from our TV show in an audio-first format.

The U.S. government may take a stake in Intel, according to Bloomberg and Wall Street Journal reports. CNBC’s Eamon Javers covers the story, the precedent, and the potential impact on the American system. Alongside Joe Kernen and Andrew Ross Sorkin, CNBC’s Steve Liesman and Rick Santelli unpack the latest economic inflation data on retail and import sales, including what they tell us about who’s bearing the brunt of tariff costs. Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee helps interpret today’s numbers and the recent CPI and PPI reports; he’s flagging a note of unease in the economic picture the data paint. Plus, President Trump and President Vladimir Putin are meeting today in Anchorage, Alaska. Javers - 08:15 Liesman - 22:16 Santelli - 26:23 Goolsbee - 27:38 In this episode: Austan Goolsbee, @Austan_Goolsbee Eamon Javers, @EamonJavers Rick Santelli, @RickSantelli Steve Liesman, @steveliesman Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

The 5 things you need to know before the stock market opens today: President Trump will meet Vladimir Putin in Alaska to discuss a Russia-Ukraine truce, China’s economy slowed in July, Japan’s economy grew more than expected, Air Canada expects to cancel hundreds of flights ahead of a strike, and Nike Co-Founder Phil Knight donates $2B to Oregon Health and Science University. Squawk Box is hosted by Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin. Follow Squawk Pod for the best moments, interviews and analysis from our TV show in an audio-first format.

In a lively conversation, House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) discusses the future of the Democratic Party, Zohran Mamdani’s role in it, and strategies to make America more affordable. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz discusses the Trump administration’s plans for the American health care system, including prior authorization requirements for Medicare. President Trump is weighing up to 11 potential Fed Chair nominees while pushing for lower interest rates from the central bank. Plus, Chinese AI company DeepSeek has reportedly run into issues using Huawei chips and investor Mario Gabelli is suing Shari Redstone’s National Amusements. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries - 22:02 Dr. Mehmet Oz - 38:47 In this episode: Hakeem Jeffries, @RepJeffries Dr. Mehmet Oz, @DrOz Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

After the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the closely-watched Consumer Price Index for July, economists–and CNBC’s Steve Liesman–are debating the impact of tariffs on economic data points. AI platform Perplexity has offered Google a $34 billion bid for its Chrome browser. Jonathan Kanter, former DOJ Assistant Attorney General under President Biden, shares his perspective on the AI wars for search engine dominance. After Cava’s quarterly report, the fast casual chain’s stock plummeted over 24%. CEO Brett Schulman isn’t worried, though; the morning after the release, he discusses his focus on delivering value for hungry consumers. Plus, Silicon Valley’s interest in “superbabies” is rising. Steve Liesman - 17:04 Brett Schulman - 22:57 Jonathan Kanter - 31:16 In this episode: Steve Liesman, @steveliesman Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

The 5 things you need to know before the stock market opens today: the White House is still working out the details of President Trump’s plan to charge 15% export taxes on chipmakers’ business in China, OpenAI’s Sam Altman is working on a Neuralink competitor, the FDA is considering revoking authorization for Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for healthy children under age 5, Circle announced a new stock offering and a U.S. base in Anchorage is preparing to host the upcoming Trump-Putin Alaska summit. Squawk Box is hosted by Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin. Follow Squawk Pod for the best moments, interviews and analysis from our TV show in an audio-first format.

In his first interview since Circle’s IPO, Circle co-founder and CEO Jeremy Allaire explains the blockchain-native company’s first earnings report, as well as his own vision for the future of finance. Elon Musk is threatening to sue Apple over its App Store rankings of AI apps; CNBC’s Steve Kovach and contributor Michal Lev-Ram discuss Musk’s strategy and the race for AI dominance. For the new BLS commissioner position, President Trump will nominate E.J. Antoni, an economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation. Steve Kovach - 21:27 Michal Lev-Ram - 26:42 Jeremy Allaire - 34:12 In this episode: Michal Lev-Ram, @mlevram Jeremy Allaire, @jerallaire Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Nvidia and AMD have reportedly agreed to give the U.S. government 15% of revenues from the chips they sell in China, in exchange for export licenses. The deal is an unprecedented arrangement between the government and private industry, raising concerns about what the deal represents for executive power whether it constitutes “paying off” the government. Lip-Bu Tan, CEO of fellow chipmaker Intel, is headed to the White House after President Trump has publicly called for his resignation. President Trump and President Vladimir Putin will meet in Alaska on Friday; former Democratic Senator Heidi Heitkamp and former Acting Chief of Staff to President Trump Mick Mulvaney discuss the meeting and its optics. The Verge Deputy Editor Alex Heath maps out the battle for AI talent in tech, while firms offer millions for a small pool of hires. Plus, the list of potential Fed Chair nominees has gotten longer. Heidi Heitkamp & Mick Mulvaney - 16:58 Alex Heath - 30:09 In this episode: Alex Heath, @alexeheath Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

The 5 things you need to know before the stock market opens today: President Trump is considering deploying up to 1,000 National Guard troops in Washington, D.C., the President is urging China to quadruple its American soybean purchases, shares of lithium miners are spiking in Asia after a Chinese company halted operations, Warner Brothers’ “Weapons” claimed the top spot at the weekend box office, and AOL is officially ending dial-up on September 30. Squawk Box is hosted by Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin. Follow Squawk Pod for the best moments, interviews and analysis from our TV show in an audio-first format.

The only person to have served as Treasury Secretary and as Federal Reserve Chair, Janet Yellen sits down to discuss interest rates, central bank independence, and the health of the U.S. economy. In a conversation with Andrew Ross Sorkin at the Aspen Economic Strategy Group Forum in Colorado, Yellen speaks candidly about President Trump’s pressure on sitting Fed Chair Jay Powell, as well as the policies of her successor at the Treasury, sitting Secretary Scott Bessent. In this episode: Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sits down for an extended interview after the ChatGPT-5 launch this week. In a wide-ranging conversation, Altman discusses the impact his AI is having on human agency and hints at the world he envisions, as AI becomes more integrated into every aspect of society. He explains the expensive bet he’s making on Silicon Valley’s top AI talent, as well as his decision to keep pushing innovation–before focusing on his OpenAI’s profitability. Plus, Intel is still in focus on Capitol Hill and Wall Street. Sam Altman - 19:23 In this episode: Sam Altman, @sama Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

The 5 things you need to know before the stock market opens today. Expedia taking off thanks to strong earnings, Pinterest is struggling from tariff uncertainty, Instacart is upbeat, SoftBank’s profit beat expectations and Sweetgreen is fighting the competitive salad wars. Squawk Box is hosted by Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin. Follow Squawk Pod for the best moments, interviews and analysis from our TV show in an audio-first format.

President Trump has announced he will impose a 100% tariff on chips and semiconductors imports, although he’s suggested exemptions for companies manufacturing in the U.S. One company that may qualify for that exemption: Apple. During CEO Tim Cook’s meeting with the President on Wednesday, Cook committed an additional $100 billion to onshore manufacturing. Author Walter Isaacson discusses Cook’s commitment in the context of Steve Jobs’ original plans to manufacture Apple products in America. President Trump also has another tech CEO in his sights, calling for the resignation of Intel’s Lip-Bu Tan on social media. CNBC’s Angelica Peebles reveals the latest obesity pill trial results from Eli Lilly. Orfoglipron’s results were similar to Wegovy, and investors are disappointed by the data and the rate of discontinuation among trial participants. Plus, Lyft CEO David Risher explains his company’s earnings report, strong on paper but disappointing to some investors. Megan Cassella - 5:35 Angelica Peebles - 13:03 Walter Isaacson - 20:47 David Risher - 35:21 In this episode: Megan Cassella, @mmcassella Angelica Peebles, @angelicapeebles Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Melissa Lee, @MelissaLeeCNBC Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

The 5 things you need to know before the stock market opens today … on a Thursday! Toyota expects a profit hit due to increased tariffs, e.l.f. beauty is facing higher costs from higher tariffs on Chinese imports, SoftBank is still investing in artificial intelligence, leadership changes at Paramount Global and the MLB’s first female umpire takes the field this weekend. Squawk Box is hosted by Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin. Follow Squawk Pod for the best moments, interviews and analysis from our TV show in an audio-first format.

Treasury Secretary under President George W. Bush Hank Paulson and Treasury Secretary under President Barack Obama Tim Geithner sat down with Andrew Ross Sorkin at the Aspen Economic Strategy Group Forum. In a wide-ranging conversation, Geithner and Paulson–two pivotal characters in the 2008 financial crisis–weigh in on tariffs, economic data, and the independence of the Federal Reserve. Geithner and Paulson underscore the resilience and strength of the American economy, despite slowing growth and tariff uncertainty. In this episode: Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Disney CFO Hugh Johnston speaks to Julia Boorstin, Joe Kernen, and Becky Quick about Disney’s strong quarterly results and news coming from its subsidiary, ESPN. The sports network will acquire 10% of the NFL and will launch a direct-to-consumer sports streaming product, sidestepping cable. From the Aspen Economic Strategy Group Forum, Andrew Ross Sorkin sits down with Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari to discuss the independence of the Fed, the President’s tariff agenda, and what he’s extrapolating from the last month of economic datapoints. Plus, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. cut $500m in mRNA vaccine contracts, and ChatGPT’s parent company is in talks with investors about a share sale at an eye-popping valuation for the still-private OpenAI: $500 billion dollars. Hugh Johnston - 19:16 Neel Kashkari - 32:01 In this episode: Julia Boorstin, @JBoorstin Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

President Trump dials into Squawk Box for an extended conversation spanning the looming Fed Chair nominations, tariffs, and the U.S. economy. He confirms that Kevin Warsh, Kevin Hassett, and two others are in the running to lead the central bank after Jerome Powell’s departure, but Treasury Scott Bessent will stay in his current role. While many trade negotiations are still in progress, President Trump shares details on his talks with India, China, and Switzerland, and warns that pharmaceutical tariffs will take effect soon. Plus, the Wall Street Journal reported that the White House is preparing an executive order that could fine banks for dropping customers for “political reasons.” President Trump weighs in with complaints of his own, including at Bank of America. In this episode: President Trump, @realDonaldTrump Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

President Trump fired the Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer on Friday, after the agency reported a weak jobs report for the month of July. In the aftermath, the White House’s National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett discusses the decision and the concerned backlash it prompted. Elaine Chao served as Labor Secretary for eight years under President George W. Bush; she explains how BLS reports are calculated and shared with the public, and she underscores the importance of integrity in the agency. CNBC’s Steve Liesman and Rick Santelli debate the impact this jobs report has had on the markets as well as what it means for the larger economy. Plus, Tesla has awarded Elon Musk $29 billion worth of Tesla shares, and shares of Berkshire Hathaway dipped after the company reported lower-than-expected earnings. Kevin Hassett - 19:20 Rick Santelli and Steve Liesman - 34:13 Elaine Chao - 39:42 In this episode: Steve Liesman, @steveliesman Rick Santelli, @RickSantelli Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

The 5 things you need to know before the stock market opens today: Tesla’s board has approved a 96 million share compensation for Elon Musk, President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney may meet over the next few days, OPEC+ will raise oil production next month, The Athletic is reporting that ESPN will acquire NFL Red Zone, and Marvel’s “Fantastic Four” saw a 66% drop in box office sales since its debut weekend. Squawk Box is hosted by Joe Kernen, Becky Quick and Andrew Ross Sorkin. Follow Squawk Pod for the best moments, interviews and analysis from our TV show in an audio-first format.