Squawk Pod Reports: 2024 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting Part 2 05/06/24

Duquesne Family Office CEO Stanley Druckenmiller says he was perplexed by the Fed’s pivot, and that the Federal Reserve “fumbled on the five yard line with the game on the line.” In an extended interview, Druckenmiller discusses his famously successful investing track record and his bets on AI. SEC Chair Gary Gensler has put pressure on crypto, recently delivering “Wells Notice” to Robinhood and Consensys; the crypto community is firing back, and he’s ready to defend the SEC’s perspective on Ethereum and its role in protecting investors. Plus, Hims & Hers CEO walked back some of his comments on hiring pro-Palestinian protesters after Wall Street and Main Street pushed back on him and his stock.  Stanley Druckenmiller - 4:15Gary Gensler - 38:40 In this episode:Gary Gensler, @GaryGenslerJoe Kernen,@JoeSquawkBecky Quick,@BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin,@andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer,@Kramer_Katie

We bring you part two of CNBC’s trip to Omaha, Nebraska for the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting, where tens of thousands of Berkshire shareholders convene to hear from Warren Buffett every spring. It’s part shareholder meeting, part shopping spree, and for Bertie Buffett Elliott, part family reunion. Warren Buffett’s little sister Bertie sits down with Becky Quick in a special conversation about the Buffett family upbringing and her own Warren memories. The highlights of the 2024 meeting include Warren Buffett’s take on AI, his plans for Berkshire’s $182 billion cash pile, and his pieces of advice for all listeners, old and young. Plus, catch a cameo from the Harlem Globetrotters and celebrity shareholder Bill Murray, as well as a conversation between venture capitalist Ann Winblad and CNBC’s Mike Santoli and Becky Quick. 

We bring you to Omaha, Nebraska, with the tens of thousands of Berkshire shareholders that make the pilgrimage to Warren Buffett every spring. Hear the best of the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting, including why Buffett trimmed his stake in Apple, how he made a losing bet on Paramount, and what Berkshire looks like, after he’s gone. Plus, the highlights from the convention center floor, where Berkshire’s 60+ portfolio companies sell their wares to fans. See’s Candy CEO Pat Egan, Lubrizol CEO Rebecca Liebert, and Pilot CEO Adam Wright are all ready to dazzle the Berkshire attendees. Plus, hear from shareholders themselves! The 14-year-old Warren Buffett fan Daphne Kalir-Starr is back for her 7th annual meeting, and she’s more “invested” than ever. 

“I’m an accidental guru.” He was irreverent, he was focused, he was one of the world’s most successful investors, and he was one of a kind. Billionaire investor Charlie Munger, the longtime right-hand man and close friend of Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, died a few weeks shy of what would have been his 100th birthday. Becky Quick, Squawk Box co-host, interviewed Munger two weeks before his death in his home in Los Angeles. In this special conversation, Charlie Munger reflects on his century of life, the childhood traumas that shaped him, the investing wins and losses that made his career, and the perspective and knowledge he gained in his final years. For more, revisit our 2021 Squawk Pod series, Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger: A Wealth of Wisdom. Squawk Pod is produced by Katie Kramer, Cameron Costa, Karoline Rouhotas and Zach Vallese.  CNBC’s Managing Editor is Lacy O’Toole. John Lazration edited this podcast series.

Becky Quick is in Omaha, Nebraska, awaiting the tens of thousands of Berkshire Hathaway investors attending the company’s annual shareholders meeting, where Warren Buffett will hold court. This year is the first annual meeting without the late Vice Chair Charlie Munger; Berkshire Hathaway lead director Sue Decker sits down with Becky Quick to discuss Munger’s legacy and the future of Berkshire. Plus, CEOs of Berkshire’s portfolio companies join Becky, BNSF CEO Katie Farmer, who discusses the headwinds for her railway business, and Brooks Running CEO Dan Sheridan, who’s eyeing running business in China. Plus, longtime shareholder and GAMCO CEO Mario Gabelli stops by, for an extended conversation about the markets, media consolidation, and Warren Buffett’s leadership. Tune into CNBC’s TV and digital channels this weekend to catch every minute of the 2024 Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting coverage. Sue Decker 5:21Dan Sheridan 17:16Katie Farmer 24:48Mario Gabelli 32:54In this episode:Mario Gabelli, @MarioGabelliBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinCameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

Approximately 300 people were arrested when the NYPD responded to protests at Columbia University and the nearby City College of New York. New York City Mayor Eric Adams discusses the city’s crackdown on college campus protests, the radicalization of youths, the immigration crisis, and more. House Select Committee on China Member Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) discusses the Biden administration’s sanctions on Chinese companies over suspected support for Russia in its war against Ukraine, as well as the fate of TikTok in the U.S. The Federal Reserve is holding rates steady; Stifel Chief Economist Lindsey Piegza breaks down the next steps in the Fed’s inflation fight. Plus, Tesla has reneged internship offers amid layoffs, and the National Labor Relations Board says Amazon CEO Andy Jassy broke federal labor law in his interviews with press. Mayor Eric Adams - 15:49Ro Khanna - 28:24In this episode:Eric Adams, @NYCMayorRo Khanna, @RoKhannaLindsey Piegza, @LindseyPiegzaJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinCameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

Overnight, NYPD officers entered Columbia University’s campus and made roughly 100 arrests of protesters. Lawyer Jay Edelson filed a lawsuit against the school on behalf of a Jewish student who argues that the university failed to provide a safe learning environment. Edelson discusses the case and the stakes for schools across the country. Axios and Politico co-founder Jim VandeHei looks ahead to the 2024 election and former President Donald Trump’s plans for the country, should he win another term. Plus, Starbucks stock took a spill after its latest quarterly report, and cannabis is headed for a downgrade from the FDA.  Jay Edelson - 13:52Jim VandeHei - 26:05 In this episode:Jim VandeHei, @JimVandeHeiJay Edelson, @jayedelsonJoe Kernen,@JoeSquawkBecky Quick,@BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin,@andrewrsorkinCameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

Paramount Global is replacing CEO Bob Bakish with three executives in the Office of the CEO. Puck founding partner Matthew Belloni explains the uncertain future for the media company, as well as the possible outcomes for shareholders. Actor Edward Norton has spent enough time in board meetings to know that it’s time to bring corporate governance decisions into 2024. He says his new tech company Zeck is his hope for streamlined board meetings. CNBC’s Steve Liesman says the latest Fed survey respondents are pushing their rate cut forecasts further out. On college campuses, tensions are escalating; Columbia protesters stormed and occupied a university building. Trump Media stock has been on a roller coaster, and NBCUniversal is reportedly preparing a bid for NBA rights. Plus, CNBC is your ticket to this Saturday’s Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting with Warren Buffett. If you’re a shareholder and have a question for the Oracle of Omaha or his board, submit it to [email protected]. Our own Becky Quick will select a few of those submissions to ask during the meeting.  Steve Liesman - 04:47Matt Belloni - 12:44Edward Norton - 18:09 In this episode:Edward Norton, @EdwardNortonMatthew Belloni, @mattbelloniJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Elon Musk took a brief surprise meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, securing tentative approval for self-driving Teslas in China. America’s college campuses are divided over the Israel-Hamas war and the U.S. involvement in it; former SEC Chairman and Ivy League educator Jay Clayton discusses the sentiment among activists and young people across the country. Retired real estate developer Bruce Ratner issues a warning for his industry. The man behind the redeveloped Times Square and Downtown Brooklyn is also on the board of Memorial Sloan Kettering, and he’s pushing for early cancer detection in his new book. Plus, regulators seized Republic First Bank in the first bank failure of 2024, and journalists are catching up on the jokes from this weekend’s White House correspondents’ dinner.   Jay Clayton - 12:23Bruce Ratner - 23:19 In this episode:Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Former President Donald Trump's political allies are crafting a plan to increase his influence over the Federal Reserve, potentially even making him an "acting" member of the central bank’s board, according to The Wall Street Journal. Nick Timiraos, the Journal's Chief Economics Correspondent, discusses the implications if Trump wins in November. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb weighs in on Moderna's partnership with OpenAI, the AI drug revolution, his own AI venture, and updates on the bird flu presence in America’s pasteurized milk. Plus, CNBC's Steve Kovach breaks down Alphabet and Microsoft earnings and explores the future of AI investment for the megacap tech companies. Nick Timiraos - 10:08Steve Kovach - 17:22Dr. Scott Gottlieb - 22:12.In this episode:Nick Timiraos, @NickTimiraosScott Gottlieb, @ScottGottliebMDJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinZach Vallese, @zachvallese