Swamp Notes
Swamp Notes is the weekly US politics podcast from The Financial Times. Every Friday, host Marc Filippino talks to reporters in Washington as well as the FT's veteran US political commentators and a cast of expert guests to explain what the latest moves in the Capitol mean for the economy, business and for people in America — and beyond. Subscribe and listen for incisive analysis, on-the-ground insights and a uniquely global perspective. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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How markets may be affecting US military action in Iran
<p>It’s hard to square US President Donald Trump’s circle. Earlier this week, he said his administration was speaking with Iranian officials. Stocks shot up, oil crashed. Then, Iran denied that talks were ongoing and the US ordered more troops to the Gulf. The FT’s foreign affairs correspondent Abigail Hauslohner and markets columnist Katie Martin explain the role markets play in why Trump’s messaging doesn’t align with his actions.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>Iran’s military leaders dismiss Donald Trump’s deal claims</p><p>Markets were not made for Trump’s never...
The AI revolt in Maga-land
<p>When it comes to data centres, the Trump administration has been urging AI companies to “build, baby, build”. But the White House’s agenda is facing resistance from an unlikely place: the very states that won Donald Trump the presidency.</p><br><p>The FT’s Joe Miller went on a road trip to Missouri to talk to some AI sceptics. </p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>Donald Trump’s AI push fuels revolt in Maga heartlands</p><p>Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter here</p><br><p>Swamp Notes is hosted by Marc Filip...
The Bethlehem Project: The housing domino effect
<p>The US housing market is in a crunch. It’s more unaffordable than ever before to buy a home, and the average age for first-time buyers across the country is now 40, according to the National Association of Realtors. Not only is that making it harder for people to own property, it’s also putting pressure on the rental market. </p><br><p>Host Sonja Hutson travels to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to get a better picture of how we got here, and how residents are dealing with the high cost of shelter.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>‘We need...
Introducing Untold: Opus Dei
<p>Introducing Opus Dei, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Antonia Cundy uncovers the cultural and political influence of a controversial Catholic organisation in America. Opus Dei exists to help people get closer to God, but some members say they found other agendas – and unexpected harm – entangled in that spiritual mission. The first episode of Untold: Opus Dei launches March 25. </p><br><p>Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your podcasts.</p><p > Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.</p>
The economic fallout of the Iran war
<p>The US and Israeli war with Iran has expanded across the Gulf. Iran has effectively shuttered the Strait of Hormuz, sending the prices of oil and liquefied natural gas way up. The economic realities of the conflict could pose a problem for President Donald Trump, who was elected in part because of his promise to make life more affordable for Americans. The FT’s Myles McCormick and Sam Fleming explain what consequences the war against Iran will have for the global economy.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast: </p><p>Donald Trump’s Iran war tests US voters’ patienc...
Trump’s ‘war of whim’ in Iran
<p>US President Donald Trump started a war with Iran last week. The American and Israeli bombing campaign has killed more than a thousand people, according to Iranian state media. Iran’s retaliatory strikes threaten to cut off all energy exports in the coming days.The FT’s US national editor Edward Luce and US foreign affairs correspondent Abigail Hauslohner explain how that war is changing Washington and America’s allies. </p><p> </p><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>Donald Trump has no ‘phase two’ plan for Iran war, says US senator</p><p>Donald Trump’s dangerous ‘war of whim’</p>...
What the State of the Union means for the US midterm elections
<p>On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump gave what is likely to be his most viewed remarks of the year. He spent little time on his most controversial decisions, instead focusing on economic issues and immigration that have appealed to voters in the past. But, at a point when Trump’s approval ratings are dropping, what does his speech mean for the looming midterm elections? The FT’s deputy Washington bureau chief Lauren Fedor and Jon McHenry, vice-president of the polling firm North Star Opinion Research, explain.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>State of the Union as i...
Maha’s big reversal and a Scotus decision on tariffs
<p>The US Food and Drug Administration last week said it would not consider a new flu vaccine for public distribution. But a few days later, it changed course. Is that reversal part of a larger change in the Trump administration’s efforts to ‘Make America Healthy Again’? The FT’s US Pharmaceuticals Correspondent Patrick Temple-West and US Managing Editor Brooke Masters explain. Plus, the FT’s James Politi decodes the Supreme Court’s decision on Trump’s sweeping tariffs.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>Trump administration reverses move to block Moderna flu vaccine trial</p><p>White House...
Trump’s starring role in the Warner Bros fight
<p>Netflix and Paramount, two large American media companies, are fighting to purchase Warner Bros Discovery. Now, US President Donald Trump and the Department of Justice are getting involved. The FT’s Los Angeles bureau chief Christopher Grimes and US deals and activism correspondent Oliver Barnes explain the president’s connections to both potential buyers and the legal scrutiny facing those companies.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>Activist investor takes aim at Warner Bros deal with Netflix</p><p>Donald Trump’s top antitrust enforcer Gail Slater pushed out as turf war deepens</p><p>Sign up for...
The political cost of America’s surging electricity bills
<p>US President Donald Trump gathered a robust coalition of voters in 2024, in part, on the promise of slashing electricity bills. But now, more than a year after his return to the Oval Office, prices are on the rise. The FT’s US energy reporter Martha Muir and US economic correspondent Myles McCormick examine why those costs are ticking up and how that might affect November’s midterm elections.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>The political cost of America’s surging electricity bills</p><p>Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter here</p><br><p>Sw...
