Donald Trump mostly nominated mainstream conservatives to his first cabinet after the 2016 election. Some high-level appointees back then barely knew Trump, but this time around, he’s selected close allies and loyalists. The FT’s deputy Washington bureau chief Lauren Fedor, and Trump’s short-tenured former communications director Anthony Scaramucci join this week’s Swamp Notes to discuss what Trump’s picks say about how his new White House will operate.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Lutnick and Bessent’s battle for Treasury secretary turns bitter as Trump expands field

Donald Trump’s alarming picks for government

The life and tastes of Anthony Scaramucci

Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter here

Check out the latest episode of Anthony Scaramucci’s podcast, “The Rest is Politics - US”

Swamp Notes is produced by Ethan Plotkin, Sonja Hutson, Lauren Fedor and Marc Filippino. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Matt Gaetz has withdrawn his name from consideration for US attorney-general, and billionaire Gautam Adani faces charges over an alleged scheme to bribe Indian officials. The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and FT economics columnist Chris Giles unpacks just how much tariffs will increase prices in the US.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Trump’s nominee for attorney-general

Indian billionaire Gautam Adani charged in US over alleged $250mn bribery scheme

ICC issues arrest warrant for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu

Tariffs and taxes are not very inflationary

The FT News Briefing is produced by Niamh Rowe, Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Joseph Salcedo. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Nvidia’s third-quarter revenue almost doubled from a year ago, and UK inflation accelerated in October as energy prices rose. Disgraced Archegos founder Bill Hwang is sentenced to 18 years in prison for fraud, and China has prepared powerful countermeasures to retaliate against US companies if president-elect Donald Trump reignites a trade war.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Nvidia revenue nearly doubles as AI chip demand remains strong

UK inflation accelerates sharply to 2.3% in October

More growth, inflation and uncertainty: the BoE’s Budget verdict

Archegos’s Bill Hwang sentenced to 18 years in prison

China arms itself for potential trade war with Donald Trump

The FT News Briefing is produced by Niamh Rowe, Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Joseph Salcedo. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Bridgewater is joining forces with State Street’s asset management arm to offer an ETF, Ukraine has struck a military target inside Russia using US-made long-range missiles for the first time, and Walmart’s third-quarter revenue beat forecasts. Plus, Asia’s arms makers and naval shipbuilders are leading a global surge in defence stocks.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Bridgewater opens strategy to retail investors through State Street ETF

Ukraine strikes Russia with US-made long-range missiles for first time

Walmart raises guidance as it beats third-quarter forecasts

Asian arms makers lead defence stock rally in bet on global rearmament

Thames Water dumps 104bn litres of sewage ahead of new tunnel opening

The FT News Briefing is produced by Niamh Rowe, Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Joseph Salcedo. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Israel says it struck a “specific component” of Iran’s nuclear programme last month, and US business leaders are warning Donald Trump’s deportation plan could create mass labour shortages. Vanguard’s retail shareholders can now vote for profit over ESG issues, and Chinese tech companies are building AI teams in Silicon Valley, despite Washington’s sanctions.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Netanyahu says Israel hit ‘specific component’ in Iran’s nuclear programme last month

Business owners warn Donald Trump’s deportation plan could shut them down

Vanguard says shareholders can vote for profits over ESG issues

Chinese tech groups build AI teams in Silicon Valley

Huel profits surge as meal replacement maker broadens fan base

The FT News Briefing is produced by Niamh Rowe, Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Joseph Salcedo. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Joe Biden has authorised Ukraine to launch limited strikes into Russia using US-made long-range missiles, and the world’s largest economies are gathering in Brazil for a G20 summit overshadowed by Donald Trump. The US dollar is rallying, as markets expect that the next administration will reignite inflation. Meanwhile, the president-elect’s tariff proposals have sent European markets tumbling. Plus, offshore oil is back.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Biden allows Ukraine to strike Russia with US-made long-range missiles

Bitcoin, dollar and Tesla jump as investors pile into ‘Trump trades’

European stocks lag US by record margin as ‘Trump trade’ bites

Donald Trump victory threatens to throw G20 initiatives into disarray

Offshore oil is back. At what cost?

The FT News Briefing is produced by Niamh Rowe, Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Peter Barber, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our engineer is Joseph Salcedo. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. The show’s theme song is by Metaphor Music.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who will corporate America's winners and losers be under four more years of Donald Trump? This week, the FT’s Brooke Masters, Stephen Morris and Jamie Smyth explain what changes a second Trump administration will bring to three crucial sectors: Wall Street, tech and energy.

This is an episode of the Financial Times podcast Behind the Money. If you like what you hear, click here to listen to more episodes.

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For further reading:

Can the renewables boom withstand Trump?

A Wall Street giddy over Trump should remember history

Who’s who in the Musk ‘A-team’ vying to shape Trump 2.0

Trump 2.0: winners, losers and Elon

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On X, follow Brooke Masters (@brookeamasters), Stephen Morris (@sjhmorris), Jamie Smyth (@JamieSmythF) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07), or follow Michela on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Democratic party is hardly monolithic. But if there’s one thing that’s kept it together over the past decade, it’s been a shared opposition to Donald Trump. Now that Trump is returning to the White House, how will the party try to win voters back? The FT’s deputy Washington bureau chief Lauren Fedor and US national editor and columnist Ed Luce join this week’s Swamp Notes podcast to discuss how the Democrats are thinking about the future.

Mentioned in this podcast:

‘They don’t understand my life’: what the Democrats misread about America

How the Democrats can win in 2028

Sign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter here

Swamp Notes is produced by Ethan Plotkin, Sonja Hutson, Lauren Fedor and Marc Filippino. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s executive producer. The FT’s global head of audio is Cheryl Brumley. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.