Squawk Pod

Proposition 40, a proposed wealth tax in California, has sparked heated debate among investors, tech founders, and billionaires. Venture capitalist Ben Narasin argues that the tax and the solutions put forward by politicians including Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) would harm the businesses that drive a large portion of America’s economy. Teletherapy platform Talkspace is betting that AI can do more good than harm in mental healthcare. CEO Dr. Jon Cohen explains how therapists and patients are using AI in and outside of traditional therapy. Plus, Joe Kernen and Andrew Ross Sorkin discuss the latest on bitcoin’s boom, Treasury Secreta...

The morning after crypto and tech leaders met President Trump at the White House, attendee and Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong discusses the Clarity Act vote in September. Armstrong is optimistic that crypto will begin a new bull run in the fall. AI data center construction has become a political flashpoint in the primaries and upcoming midterms as candidates navigate support and pushback in their communities. Pollster and political strategist Frank Luntz discusses data center marketing among constituents, as well as the future of the Democratic Party as the Democratic Socialists of America gain traction nationwide. Plus, President Trump has th...

Shares of Moderna and Merck are surging on positive results from a Phase 3 trial of a groundbreaking cancer treatment. After a decade in development, individualized mRNA “vaccines” and established cancer treatment Keytruda result in reduced risk of recurrence or death. Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel and Merck Research Laboratories president Dr. Dean Li discuss this pivotal moment in medicine and how it fits into the long term visions for both Merck and Moderna. CEO of design and coding platform Figma Dylan Field discusses his company’s wild year as a public company and building public trust in AI. Plus, it was pri...

In an exclusive, rare interview, CEO and co-founder of Hims & Hers Andrew Dudum sits down with Andrew Ross Sorkin. Dudum maps out his vision for an AI-enabled American healthcare system, comments on the FTC’s lawsuit, and reflects on his company’s impact on GLP1 access and affordability. CNBC’s Alex Sherman reports on the Buss family drama playing out on the Lakers, and Meta is once again on trial over social media addiction allegations. AI avatar startup Genies has made an AI version of CNBC’s Becky Quick, trained on Becky’s mannerisms, history, and perspectives. CEO Akash Nigam discusses...

OpenAI co-founder and president Greg Brockman issues a call to amp up cybersecurity in the age of AI. Brockman addresses recent leadership departures at OpenAI, the open-weight model debate, and AI safety standards. Keller Cliffton, CEO of drone delivery company Zipline, discusses his company’s scaling deal with Uber. Together, the companies aim to notch one million drone deliveries a day. Berkshire Hathaway added $17 billion to its Alphabet stake, making the Google parent Berkshire’s third-largest holding. Plus, Congressman for Silicon Valley Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) has sparked heated pushback from the likes of Mark Cuban and Bill Ackman with...

Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor delivers a surprising result as pollster and strategist Frank Luntz discusses what it says about the state of the race and the growing influence of prediction markets on politics. Gary Vaynerchuk, founder of VaynerX and an investor in alternative sports, talks about the business of sports, his love of whiffle ball and his dream of one day owning the New York Jets. Plus, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman discusses the future of American space exploration and the space race now underway.

Frank Luntz - 03:20
Gary Vaynerchuk - 13:53
Jared Isaacman - 24:58

A lawsuit claims Truth Social is giving paid subscribers an unfair advantage by allowing them to see President Trump’s posts fractions of a second before other users. Former Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter discusses the case and what it could mean for investors. Senator Bill Cassidy weighs in on changes to the recommended vaccine schedule for kids and what the new guidance could mean for parents. Plus, an exclusive CNBC and Generation Lab survey looks at how young adults feel about AI, the economy and the rapid pace of technological change.

Jonathan Kanter 5:14
Bill Cassidy 14:55
...

Nvidia’s $500 billion deal with top Wall Street firms has sparked a debate about circular spending in the AI ecosystem. Ed Zitron is a critic of the investments pouring into the industry, and he shares his bearish take on AI. Brett Schulman, CEO of fast casual chain Cava, is keeping his eye on consumer confidence amid salmonella and cyclospora outbreaks in the U.S. Schulman discusses the impact foodborne illness has had on the restaurants, despite Cava’s food supply chain being unimpacted by issues. Plus, former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb discusses President Trump’s Executive Order on childhood...

Nvidia is taking in $500 billion in new financing from major Wall Street firms as CEO Jensen Huang touts chips as the next “investable asset.” Former senior White House policy advisor on AI Sriram Krishnan discusses America’s tech race with China and the next opportunities in artificial intelligence, including in cyber security. CNBC’s Dan Murphy reports on the new normal in the Strait of Hormuz, a Tesla-SpaceX merger could fast-track Elon Musk’s pay package, and a Staten Island judge has ordered an emergency pause on Mayor Mamdani’s new pied-a-terre tax. Plus, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger is intervening in...

Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta will open source its most powerful AI models, including a new model called Muse Glimmer. AI investor Vinod Khosla discusses the evolution of AI, investment opportunities in the space, and tech’s ability to support communities displaced by data centers by way of tax changes. Plus, President Trump has renewed his effort to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook, and Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick says the Grand Theft Auto VI extended trailer will be worth watching on Netflix in a few weeks…but it’s likely not the beginning of an acquisition. 

Vino...

In a surprise to Wall Street, the Labor Department reported a loss of 23,000 nonfarm jobs in July. CNBC’s Rick Santelli and Steve Liesman break down the report and what it means for the broader health of the economy. Representative Greg Casar (D-TX) is focused on AI’s impact on the labor force in his latest legislation to tax hyperscalers, while MIT Associate Professor Kevin Esvelt is closely watching AI’s achievements in science. He considers the implications of a new study from the Arc Institute that showed AI-created viruses are viable in the real world. Plus, in a child...

Google is reshuffling its AI team, moving Demis Hassabis from CEO to chairman of Google DeepMind. Hassabis will also take over the chief scientist role of Alphabet after the current chief scientist Jeff Dean leaves the company. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that President Trump has called Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh multiple times since Warsh stepped into his role. Google board member and former Fed vice chairman Roger Ferguson weighs in on both Google’s AI strategy and the relationship between the central bank and the White House. Plus, Jamie Dimon has a warning for investors, CNBC’s Sh...

Former Fed Chair and former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen discusses Kevin Warsh’s new regime at the Federal Reserve and the persistent inflation in the United States. After the first U.S. intervention in the Japanese yen in decades, she discusses global economic stability and the changes still to come, thanks to AI. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi discusses the road ahead for autonomous vehicles and safety after Uber reported weaker-than-expected second quarter results and guidance. Plus, SpaceX’s spending surge has rattled investors, the markets are digesting news of a potential deal with Iran, and Chipotle’s jalapenos are causin...

In a newsmaking–and market-moving–interview, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggests that the U.S. may have a deal with Iran as soon as today or tomorrow. He says, the “K-shaped economy is over,” and the era of the “C-shaped” economy has arrived. Plus, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is at the Aspen Economic Strategy Group meeting for his company’s latest earnings release; he’s looking forward to new innovations like Snap’s Specs to drive demand for AI compute.

Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent - 14:10

Evan Spiegel - 44:59

In this episode:

After months of negotiations broke down, New York State filed a lawsuit against prediction market Kalshi. Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour responds to the allegations that his platform is “quintessentially gambling” and that it seeks to avoid paying the appropriate taxes. Then, Adam Isles, head of cybersecurity for the Chertoff Group, discusses the cyberattacks on water systems across seven U.S. states. He considers the likelihood that Iran is behind the attacks, as well as how vulnerable Americans are to attacks with the newest forms of technology. Plus, the U.S. is intervening to prop up the Japanese yen, and it’s a...

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Federal Reserve, under Kevin Warsh, has decided to keep interest rates steady. Former Fed vice chairman Roger Ferguson discusses the decision and the FOMC member dissents. After Dr. Anthony Fauci’s testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Committee Chair Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) discusses his plan to consider holding Dr. Fauci in contempt for exercising his Fifth Amendment rights 111 times throughout the hearing. CNBC’s Dan Murphy reports on the latest strikes between the U.S. and Iran, and Amos Hochstein, former White House Senior Advisor for President Biden, discusses strategies in regional conflict and its impact on g...

After OpenAI released new information about its model’s hack of Hugging Face, the debate about open-source and closed-source AI wages on. Kindred Ventures founder Steve Jang, an AI, tech, and robotics investor, discusses the future of AI, including the moat around memory chips player SK Hynix, despite recent stock moves. Mark Zuckerberg is on an AI optimism press tour, penning an Opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal and giving interviews to The Financial Times and others. Plus, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) are both members of the Aging Committee, working to inform senior ci...

Pennsylvania Democrat Senator John Fetterman has  changed his mind on the filibuster. Sen. Fetterman discusses where he differs from his party lines, including Democratic Socialist efforts around the country. Stephen Miran was appointed by President Trump to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors. Ahead of the central bank’s two-day policy meeting, Miran discusses money supply, its relationship to inflation, and the future of United States monetary policy. He’s expecting the Fed to hold rates steady. Plus, Sherwin-Williams has reported a quarterly beat, Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay $5.5B to settle the talc lawsuits that have hung over...

Nvidia is in talks with OpenAI to finance a new data center project in Ohio, according to reports. As markets kick off the busiest week of earnings season, investor Steve Eisman shares his perspective on the AI trade, big tech’s big capital expenditures, the moats around tech and AI companies, and how he’s hedging his own portfolio. CNBC’s Dan Murphy reports on the current pause in fighting between the U.S. and Iran, and RBC Capital Markets’ Helima Croft discusses the conflict’s impact on the energy markets. Plus, PharmatrophiX co-founder and Stanford Professor Dr. Frank Longo explains...

In a nearly 90 minute interview, SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk sat down with The Economist’s editor-in-chief Zanny Minton Beddoes. Beddoes shares her biggest takeaways from the conversation, including the most viral moments about AI regulation and Musk’s own relationship with the alt-right. Partnership for NYC President and CEO Steven Fulop discusses Mayor Mamdani’s appointment of former FTC Commissioner Lina Khan to lead the city’s Economic Development Corporation. He airs concerns about the appointment within the business community. Plus, Wall Street Journal reporter Gunjan Banerji discusses Wall Street’s rush to get first access to President...

Former CFTC Commissioner Brian Quintenz is now on the board of Kalshi Exchange and a senior advisor to the Coalition for Prediction Markets. The morning after Kalshi unveiled a “Midterms Hub” for election contracts, Quintenz discusses prediction markets regulation and impact on U.S. elections. AI-native IT startup Serval is helping customers like SeatGeek bring IT engineers off of IT help desks and into business units, where they can focus less on support tasks and more on big picture problem solving for the organization. Serval CEO and founder Jake Stauch and SeatGeek CEO Jack Groetzinger discuss the future of work...

AT&T reported better-than-expected earnings for its second quarter. CEO John Stankey discusses the results, the future of connectivity, and the potential for partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink. In AI news, Elon Musk announced that Grok Imagine will produce a full length AI adaptation of The Odyssey, and OpenAI has disclosed an “unprecedented cyber incident” in which its models escaped a sandbox and found ways to cheat an internal evaluation by hacking Hugging Face. Plus, president of the National Association of Evangelicals Reverend Walter Kim has penned an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal on the future of AI–and human...

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer signaled another round of President Trump’s tariffs is on the way, on the heels of a new 50% levy on Canadian goods as varied as wine and hockey sticks.  Greer says he expects action soon.  The cyclospora pathogen is sparking fears – and false positives - as regulators struggle to determine the source of the recent explosive diarrhea outbreak. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb describes why this parasite is harder to track down than others. Plus, the U.S. has carried out its 10th consecutive evening of attacks on Iran, as the Middle East confl...

After The Odyssey’s strong opening weekend at the box office, AMC CEO Adam Aron discusses the shifting entertainment landscape and AMC’s financial results this quarter. Aron also discusses audience appetite for films using AI tools and AI actors. AI is also on the table for the next interview, with OpenAI chairman and Sierra co-founder Bret Taylor. Taylor weighs in on the debate about tokenmaxxing, Apple’s lawsuit against OpenAI, and what the future of data sovereignty might look like. He comments on Sam Altman’s public spat with Elon Musk, as well as the push to innovate both statesi...

Netflix shares are under pressure after its quarterly earnings forecast disappointed investors, and chip stocks are down amid concern about AI investment. JPMorgan Asset Management global market strategist Hugh Gimber explains why the pressure on chip and memory stocks might continue until hyperscaler companies report their own earnings in a few weeks. In Shanghai, CNBC’s Eunice Yoon reports on President Xi’s latest remarks pitching China to the global community as a leading partner in AI. President Trump has delivered his own remarks on China stateside, and LeBron James isn’t ready to announce his next move in the NBA. Pl...

Frank Bisignano serves as Commissioner of the Social Security Administration & CEO of the IRS, and now he’s being tapped to lead the expansion of Trump Accounts. In an extended interview, the Commissioner discusses stock donations to Trump Accounts and the tech transformation within the IRS.  Netflix shares are down over 40% for the past 12 months, but MoffettNathanson analyst Robert Fishman says the stock is a buy ahead of its earnings report. Plus, after a victory over England, Argentina will face off with Spain in the World Cup Final, the New York Yankees are reportedly in talks with Apollo Global Man...

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Senator Dave McCormick (R-Pennsylvania) discuss the bank’s $24 million investment in Pennsylvania’s maritime industry. Both Dimon and Sen. McCormick discuss the future of American industry, politics, national security, and AI. Plus, On July 16th, CNBC and Boardroom are bringing their fourth annual Game Plan Summit to Fanatics Fest. Ahead of the summit, longtime sports agent and Boardroom CEO Rich Kleiman discusses his upcoming interview with LeBron James and the many events of what he calls, “sports week in New York.”

Jamie Dimon & Sen. Dave McCormick - 04:25

Rich Klei...

Warren Buffett plans to give away all of his Berkshire shares within eight years, but he has ended his 20-year-long philanthropic relationship with the Gates Foundation. In a sit-down interview with Becky Quick, Buffett discusses the decision to omit the Gates Foundation from his annual charitable gift. Plus, Buffett explains Berkshire’s expanded stake in Alphabet, and he weighs in on a market driven by speculative trading. 

In this episode:

Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of perso...

Chamath Palihapitiya, host of the All-In Podcast and CEO of both Social Capital and 8090, sits down with Joe Kernen and Andrew Ross Sorkin for a wide-ranging interview. The founder and investor views AI as a “great leveler,” and he argues that Silicon Valley has an AI marketing problem. A California billionaire himself, Palihapitiya discusses his commitment to the state–and his frustration with the state’s politicians. Once a donor to the Democratic Party, he addresses his shift in politics and his current relationship with President Trump. Plus, where he went wrong on SPACs, and unpacking a warning from IBM that...

After the death of Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), former Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-NC) discusses Sen. Graham’s legacy and the future of both the Republican and Democratic parties. 

Shares of SK Hynix fell over 15% in Seoul on Monday after its impressive Friday debut of US-traded shares on the Nasdaq. Semafor’s Rohan Goswami is reporting that friends and advisers of Paramount CEO David Ellison are pushing him to consider relocating the company out of California. Goswami discusses the state’s role in Paramount’s $110B takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery and the likelihood that the company will start fresh...

South Korean memory chip giant SK Hynix is now publicly traded on the Nasdaq, raising billions from U.S. investors. OpenAI’s Fidji Simo, second in command at the company, is leaving to manage a chronic illness. CNBC’s Kate Rooney reports on the ongoing questions about governance at OpenAI. Stat News reporter Bob Herman is digging into the cracks of the American health care system, the Federal Reserve is launching a task force, and Netflix is considering moving into live TV. Plus, the World Cup quarterfinals are underway, and American fans–including Joe Kernen–are more excited than ever. Fo...

CNBC's Megan Cassella reports on the latest strikes between the U.S. and Iran, and Democratic Senate Nominee for Maine Graham Platner is ending his campaign. Former Republican Senator for Nevada Dean Heller is now an advisor to Kalshi, and he responds to former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s comments about the difference between prediction markets and sports gambling. Plus, CNBC’s 20th annual list: Top States for Business with Scott Cohn. The guesses and the top 5, plus a special interview with the governor of the state that ranked first. A hint: it’s in the heart of things. <...

At the NATO summit in Turkey, President Trump remarked that the memorandum of understanding with Iran is “over.” CNBC’s Steve Sedgwick reports on the ground in Ankara, and Nicholas Burns, former Ambassador to NATO under George W. Bush, discusses the economic pressure points that could be effective in negotiations with Iran. Andrew Ross Sorkin calls into the show with news about Blue Origin: the space company is taking on outside investmentfor the first time. Plus, it has been a decade since Nobel Peace Prize-winning author and advocate Elie Wiesel’s death. His son Elisha Wiesel discusses carrying on that legacy...

President Trump has arrived in Turkey for the NATO summit, and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) is also in Ankara with the U.S. delegation. Sen. Coons discusses the goals for the U.S. and its allies at the summit. Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is now a strategic advisor to the American Gaming Association, and he’s zeroing in on the differences between legal sports betting and prediction markets as wagers mount for the World Cup. Plus, the U.S. is officially out of the World Cup after a defeat to Belgium, AI ‘actor’ Tilly Norwood will star in a featu...

On July 4th, the administration officially launched Trump Accounts, a new savings and investing vehicle for kids under 18 in the U.S. One of the orchestrators, Silicon Valley investor Brad Gerstner, explains the platform, SpaceX COO Gwynne Shotwell’s donation to it, and the vision for the American dream. Plus, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were married at MSG in New York over the holiday weekend, and President Trump gave multiple speeches for the 250th celebration of American independence, highlighting a commitment to freedom and opposition to communism. 

Brad Gerstner - 15:44

In this ep...

President Donald J. Trump sits down with Joe Kernen for an exclusive, extended interview ahead of America’s 250th anniversary. In a wide-ranging conversation, the President discusses the stock market’s performance, the war in Iran, the Supreme Court’s latest decisions, AI innovation, and the government’s stake in Intel. Plus, President Trump addresses his own financial disclosures and considers his legacy in the context of the Presidents who came before him. Happy Fourth of July!

In this episode:

Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk

President Donald J. Trump, @POTUS

Hosted by S...

OpenAI is reportedly discussing giving the U.S. government a 5% stake in the company, and Meta may be preparing to sell its AI compute power. Former Meta Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer maps out the future of tech’s infrastructure and consumption. Plus, to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, author Walter Isaacson penned “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written,” a deep dive into the first sentence of the Declaration of Independence. He reflects on the intention and legacy of America’s founders. Happy Fourth of July!

Mike Schroepfer - 13:22

Walter Isaacson - 23:27

In this e...

John Crowley does not stop at bad news. His two young children, Megan and Patrick, were babies when they were diagnosed with Pompe disease, a rare and fatal form of muscular dystrophy. Crowley changed his entire life in a race against the clock to find a treatment for his kids and reinvented his career at the same time. It was a breakthrough that inspired a Hollywood film, he tells Becky Quick for CNBC Cures.  Since then, Crowley has built two biotech companies focused on rare diseases that were later acquired by larger pharmaceuticals and today leads the industry lobbying g...

Palantir CEO Alex Karp is fired up about the costs of AI lab tokens–and he assures us that every other CEO is angry, too. In a passionate interview, Karp addresses “tokenmaxxing,” national security, global AI competition, and Palantir’s expanded partnership with Nvidia. Then, two teens from opposite sides of the political aisle have come together to write a book about bipartisanship. Larra Mullin, daughter of DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and Ellie Gottheimer, daughter of Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), discuss their upbringing in and out of Washington, D.C. Plus, stocks are kicking off the second half of 2026 after a str...