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.Each week, Swamp Notes answers one listener question. If you have a question about US politics and the global economy, send an email to marc.filippino@ft.com. If yo...
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Trump’s plan to give babies money
<p>When Congress passed Trump’s tax and spending bill this year, it included a provision that would create investment accounts for recently born children. Now, at least two billionaires want to chip in to the programme as well. The FT’s Brooke Masters and Alex Rogers detail how this plan works, and why some Republicans are going all in on a government entitlement programme. </p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>Check out FT Globetrotter’s Washington D.C. travel guide</p><br><p>Michael and Susan Dell pledge $6.25bn to help fund ‘Trump Accounts’ for children</p><p>Republ...
Is the US economy really K-shaped?
<p>Imagine a graph with one line going up over time. Below it, another line does just the opposite. It kind of looks like the letter K. The FT’s Claire Jones and Rob Armstrong break down why people are saying that letter represents the state of the economy and what it means for the White House.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>Does the K-shaped economy theory even make sense?</p><br><p>Email Marc with your questions (Marc.Filippino@FT.com)</p><p>Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter here</p><br><p>Sw...
Trump changes tack on the Epstein files
<p>Congress moved quickly to pass a bill asking the Department of Justice to release documents related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It’s a move that the president was opposed to for much of the year. The FT’s Lauren Fedor and Chris Cook break down what’s changed for the White House, and what’s different about these new documents.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>Donald Trump signs bill to release Jeffrey Epstein files</p><p>Jeffrey Epstein’s network: ‘Life among the lucrative and louche’</p><br><p>Email Marc with your ques...
Coming soon from Tech Tonic: Defying death
<p>Investors are spending billions of dollars on novel ways to extend human life through inventive treatments, therapies, and even manipulating our genes. And increasingly, it seems as though anti-ageing efforts have moved from the super rich to a mass market consumer industry. In this series, we’re covering the past, present and future of the longevity movement. We’ll be looking at where the fixation on longevity is coming from, and trying to understand the practical and ethical issues at the heart of this cutting-edge field of research. </p><br><p>From Silicon Valley fantasies, to Singaporean health spas, to Co...
Maga fractures over far-right interview
<p>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.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>Trump’s Maga coalition fractures over far-right interview</p><p>Don’t blame the left for US antisemitism</p><p>US Department of the Treasury Final Monthly Treasury Statement Receipts and Outlays of the Un...
The Bethlehem Project: An immigration raid divides a community
<p>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.</p><br><p>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 i...
Does the Democrats’ election sweep change anything?
<p>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.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>Donald Trump tries to brush off election losses as Democrats hail shift in mood</p><p>The meaning of Zohran Mamdani</p><br><p>Email Marc your questions here (Marc.Filippino@FT.com...
What Trump wants from Venezuela
<p>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.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>Venezuela’s creaking military prepares for US strikes</p><p>Donald Trump aims to topple Venezuela’s leader with military build-u...
Who’s benefiting from Trump’s presidency?
<p>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. </p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>How dozens of Trump’s donors have benefited from his second term</p><p>How the Trump companies made $1bn from crypto</p><br><p>...
How Stephen Miller is defining Trump’s second term
<p>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.</p><br><p>Mentioned in this podcast:</p><p>Stephen Miller: Donald Trump’s ‘prime minister’ executes his plan to reshape America</p><p>Stephen Mil...
