When Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist and Holocaust denier, appeared on a podcast with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, it set off a firestorm in conservative circles. The FT’s Joe Miller and Edward Luce explain how this faction on the far-right is gaining power and what it means for the future of the Republican party.Mentioned in this podcast:Trump’s Maga coalition fractures over far-right interviewDon’t blame the left for US antisemitismUS Department of the Treasury Final Monthly Treasury Statement Receipts and Outlays of the United States GovernmentEmail Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. This week’s show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. The FT’s acting co head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Help from Lauren Fedor. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: The Tucker Carlson Show, The Ben Shapiro Show, Forbes, Kevin Roberts on XRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Over the next several years, the Financial Times is diving in deep on some of the US’s biggest economic and political issues, all through the lens of one city: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Bethlehem is a politically divided area in one of the most critical swing states in the country, and it encapsulates lots of different stories that American politicians are telling about the US and who it's for.We’ll be featuring some of those stories on the Swamp Notes podcast in a special series called The Bethlehem Project. In this first episode, we explore how an immigration raid at a construction site sent a chill through the community and exposed fault lines in the debate around who belongs in the US.Mentioned in this podcast:‘Everyone’s at risk’: Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown reaches BethlehemWhy the Democrats are losing post-industrial AmericaInside Trump’s AmericaRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Democrats won the three largest races and a smattering of others on Tuesday’s off-year elections. They are the biggest electoral wins since Donald Trump took the Oval Office a year ago. The FT’s Lauren Fedor and Guy Chazan discuss which races stood out, and how each party may interpret how the results will affect other races.Mentioned in this podcast:Donald Trump tries to brush off election losses as Democrats hail shift in moodThe meaning of Zohran MamdaniEmail Marc your questions here (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. This week’s show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. The FT’s acting co head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: The White House, Vivek Ramaswamy, ABC News, Electron MediaRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The US military has killed more than 60 people in attacks on boats they say are running drugs in Latin America. Its navy has moved its most powerful warship to the Caribbean. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is increasing its rhetoric against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. James Story, the former top US diplomat to Venezuela, and the FT’s Michael Stott, puzzle out what the Pentagon and Maduro may do next.Mentioned in this podcast:Venezuela’s creaking military prepares for US strikesDonald Trump aims to topple Venezuela’s leader with military build-upEmail Marc your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. This week’s show was mixed by Samantha Giovinco. The FT’s acting co head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson and Roxanna Vigil at the Council on Foreign Relations.CREDIT: NBC News, CBS NewsRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
US President Donald Trump and his family have made at least $1bn since he was elected to serve a second term, thanks to their rapidly growing cryptocurrency empire. That’s according to an FT investigation which also found that at least 30 individuals or companies that collectively donated to the president’s causes have received benefits or advantages. The FT’s Joe Miller and Alex Rogers unpack their findings. Mentioned in this podcast:How dozens of Trump’s donors have benefited from his second termHow the Trump companies made $1bn from cryptoEmail Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. We had help from Lauren Fedor. This week’s show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. The FT’s acting co head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: KVUERead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Stephen Miller has played a central part in shaping White House policy since Donald Trump’s first term as president. But with less opposition this time around from Congress or other figures inside the administration, Miller’s hardline agenda has started to come to life. The FT’s US national correspondent Guy Chazan and US national editor Ed Luce join this week’s Swamp Notes to explore what Trump’s top policy adviser might be planning next.Mentioned in this podcast:Stephen Miller: Donald Trump’s ‘prime minister’ executes his plan to reshape AmericaStephen Miller, Trump’s implementer-in-chiefRussell Vought: the man on a ‘divine mission’ to traumatise US bureaucratsSign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson and Ethan Plotkin. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco. The FT’s acting co head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: CNN, Washington Post, DaystarRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
US President Donald Trump has long campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize, and he seemed closer to that goal earlier this week when he helped broker a ceasefire in Gaza. But the Nobel Committee had other plans. So what exactly is Trump’s track record on peacemaking and what does it take to actually win the Nobel Peace Prize? Norwegian humanitarian studies professor Kristin Sandvik and the FT’s US-Middle East foreign policy correspondent Abigail Hauslohner explain. Mentioned in this podcast:How Trump cornered Netanyahu into signing up for peaceDonald Trump looms large over Nobel Peace PrizeEmail Marc with your questions. (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. We had help from Lauren Fedor. This week’s show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. The FT’s acting co head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: NBC News, Forbes Breaking News, C-SPAN, Norwegian Nobel CommitteeRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
For the first time in nearly seven years, the US Congress was unable to come to a spending agreement in time. The government shut down. Democrats want to challenge President Donald Trump and extend healthcare subsidies. Republicans don’t want to budge. The Financial Times’ Washington bureau chief James Politi and deputy chief Lauren Fedor break down how it all went down and the position Democrats now find themselves in. Mentioned in this podcast:Donald Trump threatens permanent spending cuts as US shutdown continuesWhat happens when the US government shuts down?Email Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. This week’s show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. The FT’s acting co head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: FOX News, Reuters, ABC News, C-SPANRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show is back on the air.The president of the US isn’t happy about it. He’s threatened to revoke licenses from broadcast networks that air negative programming about him. The former counselor to the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Gigi Sohn, and the FT’s Los Angeles bureau chief Christopher Grimes unpack what’s at stake for America’s television industry.Mentioned in this podcast:Inside Disney’s decision to bring back Jimmy KimmelIs America entering a new era of McCarthyism?Email Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. This week’s show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. The FT’s acting co head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: Benny Johnson podcast, New York Post, Verdict with Ted CruzRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On Monday, Donald Trump posted on social media that he wanted US public companies to ditch quarterly reporting. It is yet another move by his administration to hand more power to corporate executives and take power away from investors. The FT's Wall Street editor Sujeet Indap and global business columnist Rana Foroohar break down the arguments for and against the president’s efforts, and what it’ll mean for businesses.Mentioned in this podcast:Trump’s quarterly reporting move is the wrong idea at the wrong timeDonald Trump tilts balance of power from investors to CEOsBonus ep: How the UK is navigating the Trump eraEmail Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. Sam Giovinco mixed this week’s episode. Our show is mixed by Kelly Garry. The FT’s acting co- head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The US Supreme Court’s next term is just weeks away, and the decisions facing the court’s nine justices could define the future of President Donald Trump’s second administration. The FT’s Brooke Masters and Stefania Palma break down what makes this new era of the Supreme Court so unique and controversial.Mentioned in this podcast:US Supreme Court to decide how far Donald Trump’s power really goesWill the Supreme Court stand up to Trump?Email Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. This week’s show was mixed by Sam Giovinco. The FT’s acting co head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: FOX News, CBS NewsRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
US President Donald Trump is coming to the UK next week. What can we expect from his visit? And where do things stand between the US and the UK? In this special bonus episode, our two FT political chat shows, Political Fix and Swamp Notes, team up to unpack relations between the two longtime allies. Marc Filippino, host of the Swamp Notes podcast, and US managing editor Brooke Masters are joined by Political Fix’s George Parker and Lucy Fisher to discuss. This episode was recorded on September 6 in front of a live audience at the FT Weekend Festival in London. Mentioned in this podcast:-Listen to the Swamp Notes podcast on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your podcasts.-Listen to the Political Fix podcast on Acast, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts or Spotify.Swamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. The executive producer for Political Fix is Flo Phillips. This episode was mixed by Breen Turner. The FT’s acting co-heads of audio are Topher Forhecz and Manuela Saragosa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the latest round of jobs numbers this week. A former BLS commissioner, Erica Groshen, and the FT’s US economics correspondent Myles McCormick break down what’s inside that report and what it means for a federal agency preparing for a controversial new leader.Mentioned in this podcast:US adds just 22,000 jobs in August as labour market sputtersDonald Trump picks Heritage economist to head US Bureau of Labor StatisticsEmail Marc with your question (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. This week’s show was mixed by Alex Higgins. The FT’s acting co head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Trump administration announced that it is taking a 10 per cent stake in troubled chipmaker Intel. It’s another interventionist move by the White House in less than a year since US President Donald Trump returned to office. What does it mean that the federal government is getting more involved in the free market? The FT’s Richard Waters and the American Enterprise Institute’s Michael Strain discuss. Mentioned in this podcast:US to take 10% stake in troubled chipmaker IntelWhy Intel investors have embraced an interventionist White HouseTrump’s Intel deal is a threat to US economic libertyEmail Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is Hosted by Marc Filippino and produced by Henry Larson. Our show is mixed by Sam Giovinco. The FT’s acting co-head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: Howard Lutnick on XRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The world trade order is being remade. US President Donald Trump has led that charge with tariffs and trade deals that have upended the past 30 years of advancement towards global free trade. If that order is going away, what should replace it? Council on Foreign Relations president Michael Froman and the FT’s senior trade writer Alan Beattie talk through one option for the future of international exchange.Mentioned in this podcast:Read Michael Froman’s Foreign Affairs articleNo, Trump is not ushering in a new global trading orderCanada cultivates Nordic connections to offset its reliance on US tradeSign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereEmail Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Swamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. This week’s show was mixed by Samantha Giovinco. The FT’s acting co-head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
One of the president’s most recent executive orders paved the way for American retirement accounts to invest in cryptocurrencies and private equity. It’s a seismic change for savers and investors both. The FT’s Sujeet Indap and Duke University professor Elisabeth de Fontenay break down what it means for you and for Washington.Mentioned in this podcast:Email Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)Donald Trump exposes US retirees to new world of risk with 401k orderTrump opens US retirement plans to crypto and private equity investmentsSign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. Our show was mixed by Kelly Garry and Kent Militzer. The FT’s acting co-head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Six months after the Trump administration gutted the US Agency for International Development, experts are tracking the impact of its absence. The FT’s David Pilling and the Brookings Institution’s George Ingram describe the surprising ways countries are adapting to a world with less resources for the poor, sick and starving.Mentioned in this podcast:Email Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)What the closure of USAID is really costing the worldUSAID cuts threaten 14mn extra deaths by 2030, warns studyThe shifting future of foreign aidSign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson. Samantha Giovinco mixed this week’s episode. The FT’s acting co-head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On a visit to the UK this week, Trump broke from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stance on the war in Gaza. The FT’s Edward Luce and US foreign affairs correspondent Abigail Hauslohner unpack how the situation in the region became so dire, and why world leaders are pressuring Trump to act. Mentioned in this podcast:Has Gaza tested the limits of Donald Trump’s support for Benjamin Netanyahu?‘Worst-case scenario’ of famine unfolding in Gaza, says global hunger monitorThe west’s complicity in GazaSign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson and mixed by Samantha Giovinco. We had help from Marc Filippino. The FT’s acting co-head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: CNN, Times News, France24Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The US president is angry with the chair of the Federal Reserve over interest rates. He’s applying a lot of pressure on Jay Powell to lower them or leave his job. The FT’s Claire Jones and Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, break down what will happen if Trump succeeds in either of those goals.Mentioned in this podcast:Email Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@ft.com)Donald Trump and Jay Powell spar as US president visits Federal ReserveWhy a $2.5bn refurbishment of the Federal Reserve could be Jay Powell’s undoingDonald Trump brings war against the Fed to Jay Powell’s home turfSign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson and mixed by Samantha Giovinco. We get help from Lauren Fedor. The FT’s acting co head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: CNBCRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Zohran Mamdani shocked a city, and his own political party, when he soundly defeated his influential rival in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary election. Now, as the second leg of the race reveals itself, Mamdani has a chance to redefine how the party talks about its critical issues. The FT’s Rana Foroohar and the American Enterprise Institute’s Michael Strain discuss what the party can learn from its nominee and what it would mean if he won.Mentioned in this podcast:Email Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@ft.com)New York’s Zohran Mamdani wins over some of the city’s business eliteMake America affordable againZohran Mamdani is wrong — of course billionaires should existSign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Henry Larson and mixed by Samantha Giovinco. We had help from Lauren Fedor. The FT’s acting co-head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: Zohran Mamdani For NYC, NBC News, NPR, NY1, CNBCRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.