The Big Take

As the debate about President Trump’s tax bill — known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” — plays out among lawmakers in Washington, there’s been increasingly heated criticism of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. It calculates the costs and savings from the bill — including from the White House. On today’s episode of the Big Take, host Saleha Mohsin sits down with CBO director Phillip Swagel to hear how his agency churns out economic forecasts from inside the center of a political storm. Further listening: Stephen Miran Explains Why There’s No Secret Dollar PactSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Teams from China used to dominate international hacking competitions, until Beijing ordered them to stop attending and take part only in domestic tournaments. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Jamie Tarabay about how tournaments are helping boost China’s cyber-espionage capabilities and what that means for the world. Read more: Chinese Hacking Competitions Fuel the Country’s Broad Cyber Ambitions - BloombergSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump was in Canada this week for the Group of Seven summit. But after dinner on Monday night, Trump left early, citing the conflict in the Middle East. On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura speaks with Bloomberg’s Nick Wadhams in Calgary to unpack what Trump’s move could mean for Ukraine, the Middle East, trade — and for G-7 summits going forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Conflict between Iran and Israel has been simmering for decades — but escalated rapidly in the last few days after Israel bombed key nuclear facilities in Iran. As world leaders convene for the G-7 in Canada this week — many are concerned about the prospect of continued fighting and a broader regional conflict. Today on the Big Take podcast, Golnar Motevalli, who covers Iran for Bloomberg, joins host Sarah Holder to discuss the on-the-ground reality in both countries, the choices facing their heads of state and what other world leaders might do to encourage a deescalation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on the Big Take, we bring you a new episode of Trumponomics, straight from the live stage at Bloomberg’s Hong Kong Invest conference. Stephanie Flanders leads a panel from the Hong Kong Invest conference to unpack the latest round of high-stakes trade talks between the US and China, exploring why Beijing may still have the upper hand and how far any decoupling of the two economies will go. She's joined by Robin Xing, Chief China Economist at Morgan Stanley, Lotus Asset Management Chief Investment Officer Hao Hong, and Bloomberg reporter Rebecca Choong Wilkins. Further reading: Why China Can Afford to Wait for a Deal, and the US Can’tSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of next week’s G-7 Summit in Calgary, Canada, Bloomberg Weekend Editor-at-Large Mishal Husain sat down for an exclusive interview with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The wide-ranging conversation touched on Israel’s ongoing strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the US-UK trade agreement, defense spending and more. Read more: Starmer Says UK Has ‘Grave Concerns’ on Iran Nuclear Program Starmer Signals Support for 3.5% NATO Aim With Talks on Date Update on June 16: Corrects spelling of Keir Starmer in episode descriptionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Moments after taking off, an Air India flight bound for London from an airport in Western India crashed with over 200 passengers on board. Hundreds have died and a search for survivors is ongoing. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Benedikt Kammel joins host Sarah Holder on what the crash of Boeing’s marquee 787 Dreamliner means for the company and the commercial aviation industry at large.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump says his decision on who will succeed Fed Chair Jerome Powell “is coming out very soon.” And according to new reporting from Bloomberg’s Nancy Cook and Saleha Mohsin, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is a contender for the job. On today’s Big Take podcast, Nancy and Saleha join host David Gura to discuss the president’s Apprentice-style approach to selecting a Fed Chair, what he wants in Powell’s replacement and how that might impact Fed independence. Read more: Bessent Emerging as a Contender to Succeed Fed’s PowellSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Representatives for the US and China are in London this week trying to hammer out a potential trade deal. But with US access to China’s rare-earth minerals and China’s access to US semiconductor chips on the table, common ground has been hard to come by. On today’s episode, Big Take host Sarah Holder speaks to Bloomberg’s Brendan Murray, who’s on the ground in London. And Big Take Asia host K Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s John Liu about China’s thinking and what a deal could mean for both countries. Read more: China, US Haggle Over Details as Trade Talks Stretch OnSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on the Big Take, Bloomberg national immigration reporter Alicia Caldwell joins host David Gura from Los Angeles to discuss the protests over ICE immigration raids, the clash between California and the federal government and how this fight could play out in other cities and in the courts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today on the Big Take, we hear from the hosts of Everybody's Business, Stacey Vanek Smith and Max Chafkin, who dive into the latest news on President Trump's tax bill, Taylor Swift buying back her first six albums, and Gen Z bar culture.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Broadway has always been a high-risk, high-reward kind of business — but with costs to mount a production higher than ever, producers are leaning into new strategies to try to recoup investments. Now, as Broadway wraps its highest-grossing season on record, the hottest tickets to celebrity-studded shows are going for upwards of $800. On today’s Big Take podcast, we speak with two Tony Award-winning producers, Daryl Roth and Lucas Katler, about what it takes to succeed these days in show business, and we hear from Bloomberg Pursuits’ Chris Rovzar about what Broadway’s new economic reality means for tourism, for art and for what audiences pay at the box office.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a vital puzzle piece missing as rich nations aim to transform their electricity grids for the AI age: millions of skilled engineers.On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Akshat Rathi joins host Sarah Holder to break down how labor shortages in the electrification industry are slowing down the green energy transition and what it would take to turn things around. Plus, the one country bucking the trend.Read more: The Missing EngineersListen more: A skilled worker shortage is becoming an ‘existential’ problem for the energy transition: Bottleneck SeriesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Poland’s election of a Trump-backed conservative nationalist president early this week is part of a larger shift to the right across the European continent: Much like in the US, conservative, nationalist and right-wing parties are gaining traction. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Rodney Jefferson and David Gura discuss the growing cultural divide behind Europe’s rising conservative movements and what their growth could mean for migration, climate policy and the future of the EU.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Nintendo Switch has generated some $100 billion in sales for the Japanese gaming giant since its launch in 2017, propelling the company’s shares to record highs. Now the game-maker is under pressure to do even better with the new Switch 2, out this week. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, Bloomberg Opinion’s Gearoid Reidy joins host K. Oanh Ha to talk about why the Switch 2 is so important to Nintendo’s business and whether it can live up to the hype. Read more: If the Switch 2 Stumbles, Nintendo Has No Plan BWatch, from Originals: Nintendo’s High-Stakes Bet on the Switch 2Further listening: A Turning Point in Trump’s Trade WarSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re more than halfway through the 90-day pause on President Trump’s sweeping reciprocal tariffs. That three-month delay was supposed to give the US time to negotiate trade deals with countries around the world. And while talks are ongoing, many deals still seem out of reach. Now, legal challenges to Trump’s tariff strategy have thrown another wrench in the administration’s plans. On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder sits down with Bloomberg’s Brendan Murray to hear a status report on the latest steel tariff hikes and trade negotiations, and with legal reporter Erik Larson to explore how the courts could upend Trump’s agenda.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US has a new federal law protecting victims of nonconsensual deepfake pornography. It puts new pressure on perpetrators of online sexual harassment and on the social media networks where they can flourish. Today on the Big Take, we hear from the hosts of the Levittown podcast, Olivia Carville and Margi Murphy, in conversation with two mothers whose children had very different experiences in the online world that this legislation aims to regulate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Donald Trump tries to remake global trade, the dollar’s historic dominance in Asia is under pressure. After Taiwan’s currency saw the biggest surge against the dollar in almost 40 years in early May, some money managers are saying the spike signals the acceleration of a bigger trend of moving investments back home. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks to Bloomberg’s Ruth Carson about what’s driving Asia’s shift away from the greenback and what a rewiring of global financial ties means for the region’s biggest economies. Further listening: Carry Trades, ExplainedCould the Chinese Yuan Ever Replace the US Dollar? Watch, from Originals: Why the US Is Getting DowngradedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, General Electric — the conglomerate known for making everything from trains to microwaves — was also known for churning out executives. Time spent at the company’s Crotonville campus was seen as the gold standard for leadership training in Corporate America. But as GE has lost its luster, a new CEO pipeline has emerged.On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg work and management reporter Matt Boyle joins host David Gura to share what he’s discovered about where tomorrow's CEOs are learning to lead — and what it means for global business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trump administration has ramped up its attacks on Harvard University — threatening its tax-exempt status, federal funding and its ability to enroll international students. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Brooke Sutherland and Francesca Maglione join host David Gura to unpack the latest developments and how they could ripple beyond the bounds of Harvard’s campus. Read more: Here Are the Many Ways Trump Is Attacking HarvardSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been going through a bit of a MAGA rebrand, complete with a new look — gold chains, grown-out hair, custom boxy, black T-shirts — and appearances on so-called manosphere podcasts hosted by MAGA-friendly comedians like Theo Von and Joe Rogan.Those changes have translated to his company, too. Since January, Meta has rolled back diversity efforts, weakened hate speech policies, disbanded its civil-rights team, eliminated its outside fact-checking system and added a prominent Trump ally to its board of directors. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Riley Griffin joins host Sarah Holder to discuss the political evolution of Mark Zuckerberg: What he hopes to gain from getting closer to Trump and what he has to show for it. Read more: Mark Zuckerberg Loves MAGA Now. Will MAGA Ever Love Him Back?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tulum, Mexico has exploded in popularity since the early years of the pandemic. The area’s few Covid restrictions, picturesque beaches and laidback vibes attracted lockdown-weary travelers and helped trigger a real estate boom. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporters Andrea Navarro and Tanaz Meghjani join host Sarah Holder to discuss the dark side of a pandemic-era development spree in Tulum that has left a trail of ripped off investors, millions of dollars in missing cash and even two bodies in its wake.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2001, it was lipstick. After the 2008 financial crisis, it was DIY haircuts. In times of economic turmoil, consumers tend to change the way they spend on makeup and beauty. So what is the beauty industry telling us now about the state of the US economy? On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Ben Steverman visits a beauty convention and talks to masseuses and hair stylists about the trends they’re seeing in their salons, and cosmetics reporter Jeannette Neumann crunches the numbers on how these consumer behaviors are hitting companies’ bottom lines. Read more: The Beauty Salon Recession Indicator Estée Lauder Forecasts Return to Sales Growth in 2026 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite the global hype around China’s DeepSeek, very little is known about the man behind it – Liang Wenfeng. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's Saritha Rai about the tech founder who led DeepSeek to the frontline of AI advances and what the company’s rise tells us about the battle for AI dominance. Further listening: Why DeepSeek Sent Nvidia, Other Tech Stocks Tumbling Watch, from Originals: How China’s DeepSeek Came for Big AISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After decades in the public eye, 83-year-old media mogul and Fox co-founder Barry Diller is finally ready to tell his story. On today’s Big Take podcast, Diller joins host David Gura to talk about his new memoir, Who Knew, his storied career as an entertainment executive and his decision to speak publicly about his sexuality for the first time. Plus, how he’s navigating President Trump’s shifting trade and regulatory policies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On stage at the Qatar Economic Forum on Tuesday, editor at large for Bloomberg Weekend Mishal Husain conducted a nearly 40-minute, wide-ranging interview with billionaire Elon Musk. Husain asked Musk about his future at Tesla, his ongoing feud with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the possibility of Starlink going public and more. At times, the conversation grew heated, particularly when Mishal asked about reports of his communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the past year, Apple has pulled out all the stops to tout shiny new AI tools: from big presentations at its Worldwide Developers Conference to ads featuring The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey. Now, the company is facing questions about what it’s promised versus what it’s delivered. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman takes host Sarah Holder inside the company’s efforts to keep up on AI and what it needs to do next to stay in the game. Read more: Why Apple Still Hasn’t Cracked AISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As of this week, the trade war between the US and China is on pause, with both sides hoping to agree on a new trade deal by early August. But questions remain about how realistic that timetable could be, given the challenges facing the world’s two largest economies, who both collaborate and compete with one another. On today’s Big Take podcast, Former US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns joins host David Gura to discuss the trade war, the challenges facing his successor and what he’s telling foreign policy students who are worried about the future of diplomacy. “We’ve gotta steel ourselves for the next decade or two to a historic competition with China. And China right now is stronger.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump is wrapping a whirlwind trip to the Middle East — complete with a flurry of proposed investment deals , controversial gifts and a major shift in US-Syria policy. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Joumanna Bercetche joins host David Gura to unpack the biggest headlines from the president’s tour of the Persian Gulf and discuss what they tell us about his larger plans for the region. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like a growing number of US communities, Torrance County, New Mexico, is convinced its financial survival depends on locking immigrants up. A lucrative ICE contract keeps a private detention facility open that local politicians say the area needs. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporters Rachel Adams-Heard and Fola Akinnibi examine how these private facilities are becoming key to the US government’s immigration crackdown – and the financial incentives making it harder for small communities to quit them. Read more: Addicted to ICESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, India and Pakistan saw the worst fighting in half a century — and came close to an all-out war. But the conflict came to an uneasy and sudden halt after Donald Trump declared the two countries reached a ceasefire. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks to Bloomberg’s Dan Strumpf about how the deadly clashes and ceasefire unfolded and the implications of US mediation in the decades-old conflict. Read more: Trump Truce Leaves India Furious, Pakistan Elated as Risks LoomFurther listening: The Rise of Modi, Part 1: Why India’s Leader Is So Popular – and Polarizing The Rise of Modi, Part 2: How India’s Leader Came Back From the BrinkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a stunning turn of events, the US and China announced a dramatic reduction in tariffs, which President Trump portrayed as a “total reset” with China. Stocks rose following the news, but what lies ahead once the 90-day reprieve expires remains uncertain. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg Treasury reporter Dan Flatley joins host David Gura to discuss the major takeaways from these latest negotiations and what they could mean for the world’s two largest economies. Read more: ‘Buy America’ Sweeps Across Global Markets After Trade Talks China Tariff Relief Spurs Shipping Rush, U-Turn on Price Hikes Nasdaq 100 Enters Bull Market After US-China Truce: Markets Wrap See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japan has a matcha shortage despite record levels of production. Shops are selling out of the green tea powder as soon as they hit the shelves. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's Mia Glass about the world’s obsession with matcha – and why producers can’t keep up with the rising demand. Read more: The Global Matcha Boom Is Driving a Shortage in JapanFurther listening: Japan’s Small Businesses Have a Problem. They Don’t Know How to Raise PricesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google has lost two antitrust cases in the past year; Meta is currently in court over alleged anti-competitive behavior. Big Tech is in a moment of reckoning that could reshape the industry – and your internet use – for decades to come. Today on the Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Sarah Frier and Sara Forden join host Sarah Holder to unpack the trials seeking to rein in Silicon Valley. Will the antitrust cases against Google and Meta help innovation flourish, or kill America’s chances at AI dominance? Read more: Apple Eyes Move to AI Search, Ending Era Defined by GoogleSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few years ago, a former sitcom writer came up with a weird way to sell Americans cheap health plans, using a loophole in the Affordable Care Act. More than 100,000 households have signed up, but many say the coverage isn’t what they were promised. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Zach Mider shares what he learned while investigating the plans and what it could mean for the American health-care system if more people turn to them. Read more: A Former TV Writer Found a Health-Care Loophole That Threatens to Blow Up ObamacareSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In late 2018, five years after launching fish-feeding company eFishery, Gibran Huzaifah found himself all out of cash. To save his business, the CEO started plugging fake numbers into financial reports. The brighter picture drew hundreds of millions of investor dollars. But his house of cards was doomed to collapse. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg's David Ramli about the fall of eFishery and what it says about the risks of venture capital investing. Read more: CEO Explains How He Faked Results in $300 Million MeltdownSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warren Buffett shocked shareholders when he announced he’d be stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The 94-year-old business giant had been running the behemoth company for more than 50 years, and his investment decisions have earned him the nickname the “Oracle of Omaha.” On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg senior markets editor and Opinion columnist John Authers unpacks how Warren Buffett changed investing, what it would take for successors to fill his shoes and whether Berkshire Hathaway is headed for a break-up.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the US government stepped in with aid to keep mass transit agencies afloat. But that money is running out and ridership hasn’t rebounded.On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Sri Taylor and Aaron Gordon join host David Gura to discuss why advocates now fear many transit systems are on the verge of a so-called “death spiral” — a vicious cycle of less funding, low ridership and cuts to services that could impact everyone’s commute. Read more: A $6 Billion Shortfall Has US Mass Transit Facing a Death Spiral See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One month after Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, Q1 earnings reports for a range of US companies are in. On today’s episode, Bloomberg’s Shelly Banjo joins host Sarah Holder to talk through what those reports are revealing about companies’ reactions to Trump’s trade war. Are they pausing, pivoting or panicking? Read more of Shelly Banjo’s work.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The uncertainty caused by Trump’s tariff policies has been spooking business leaders and roiling the markets. And according to Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, there could be more economic pain ahead — at least in the short term. Today on the Big Take, Bloomberg editor-at-large Francine Lacqua sits down with Solomon at the Norwegian sovereign wealth fund’s annual investment conference in Oslo. He shares his thoughts on the fate of the US dollar as a reserve currency, opportunities for new investment in European markets and his predictions for global growth in the coming year. Read more: Goldman’s Solomon Says Markets to ‘Settle Down’ After ChaosSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In electing Mark Carney as prime minister, Canadians have given him and the Liberal Party a mandate. But it was a narrow victory — one that will require Carney to work with another party to achieve his priorities. His most urgent: trade talks with US President Donald Trump. On today’s Big Take podcast, David Gura sits down with Canadian government reporter Brian Platt in Ottawa to discuss the results of the election, what a fourth consecutive Liberal term means for the country’s future and how Carney might try to position Canada in trade negotiations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Trump will celebrate 100 days back in office this week. The milestone comes amid a US-China trade war, ongoing conflict overseas and high-stakes battles over the future of higher education.On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Josh Wingrove joins host David Gura to take stock of how Trump has used the last three months to reshape everything from global trade and immigration to the American presidency — and what they reveal about the road ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.