DOGE ‘Blockers,’ Media’s Mega Merger, & Bigger Billionaires 10/7/26

The White House “Super Intelligence” task force held its first meeting yesterday amid growing calls to regulate AI. The group’s chair Jay Clayton joins us on his takeaways from the meeting and why the U.S. needs to be wary of foreign espionage attempts related to AI. Singer and songwriter John Legend’s pet food brand “Kismet” is sponsoring an upcoming Halloween dog parade in New York City. The EGOT-winner talks about why he built the business and his growing portfolio outside of music. Plus, Fed chairman Kevin Warsh refrains from signaling whether there will be another interest rate hike this year and Netflix replaces its Chief Content Officer. Steve Liesman                   02:44Jay Clayton                        17:39John Legend                      34:47 In this episode:John Legend, @johnlegendSteve Liesman, @steveliesmanJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Investors are rotating out of tech stocks amid growing concerns around record-high interest rates and possible overspending on artificial intelligence. Rockefeller Capital CEO Greg Fleming, a Wall Street veteran, discusses his take on the markets and the policy driving unease. New York City Comptroller Mark Levine sent a letter to Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei asking the company to delay its upcoming IPO. He says the listing will distract the company from focusing on safety and that the U.S. needs federal regulation on AI. Plus, Ukraine says it will restart strikes on Russian oil refineries and Berkshire Hathaway makes a $330 million investment in Bending Spoons. Greg Fleming                    21:11Mark Levine                      39:26 In this episode:Mark Levine, @NYCComptrollerJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fighting intensified overnight in the Middle East between Saudi-backed forces and Iran’s Houthi rebel allies. Former Biden White House Senior Advisor Amos Hochstein tells us why the U.S. has been sitting out the conflict and that he’s stopped understanding U.S. strategy in the region. Fanatics is upping its advertising spend in its gambling business as it looks to compete with industry giants Fanduel and DraftKings. Founder & CEO Michael Rubin says he believes it is a good long-term business despite persistent headwinds. Plus, the FBI arrests an OpenAI employee who allegedly planted a recording device in a conference room and more Senators come out against President Trump’s diesel deal with Russia. Eamon Javers                   06:04Amos Hochstein             16:09     Michael Rubin                  26:55 In this episode:Eamon Javers, @EamonJaversAmos Hochstein, @amoshochsteinMichael Rubin, @michaelrubinJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinRyan Anastasio, @Ryan_Anastasio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Amid growing concerns about valuations and the AI boom, legendary investor Paul Tudor Jones joins for his take on the markets and his outlook for the new year. He predicts a strong fourth-quarter post the midterm elections but warns of challenges in 2027 due to negative flow pictures in the stock market. Author and professor Adam Grant is out with a new book, “Vibe: The Secrets of Strong Connections in a Lonely World.” He says we need to engage in “deep talk” when meeting someone new and ask questions that we would normally wait to ask at a second or third meeting. Plus, Anthropic warns AI models could soon copy themselves across home devices and hackers target French supermarket fridges. Paul Tudor Jones                    11:53Adam Grant                             38:59 In this episode:Paul Tudor Jones, @ptj_officialAdam Grant, @AdamMGrantJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tensions are heightened in the Middle East following a deadly attack on Saudi Arabia’s airport in Riyadh. CNBC’s Dan Murphy joins from the region with the latest, while Brian Sullivan reports on the move in oil and President Trump’s claim of an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Amid growing concerns about rogue AI agents and personal security, XMTP Labs Co-Founder & CEO Shane Mac describes how an agent shared his personal bank statement in a work group chat. Plus, Nvidia is reportedly in talks to buy open-source startup Reflection AI and “The Social Reckoning” disappoints at the box office. Dan Murphy                      02:34Brian Sullivan                    18:49Shane Mac                         35:12 In this episode:Dan Murphy, @dan_murphyBrian Sullivan, @SullyCNBCShane Mac, @ShaneMacJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a move that’s pushing telecom stocks lower, SpaceX has agreed to purchase a nationwide spectrum portfolio. Elon Musk biographer Walter Isaacson explains how this move fits into the rest of Musk’s vision for connectivity around the world–and around the solar system. As concerns about AI-fueled job displacement mount around the world, Chieh Huang–founder of Boxed–has started a new re-training venture for laid off employees. Huang explains how Pelgo translates layoffs and employer investment into a more skilled, less anxious workforce. Plus, Starbucks could be prepping to acquire Chipotle, and the Gulf Coast is bracing for Hurricane Isaias. Walter Isaacson           17:29Chieh Huang               32:06 In this episode:Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawkAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Trump has suggested that the U.S. may initiate more attacks on Iran’s energy infrastructure, and tariffs remain on center stage as the midterm elections draw nearer. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer discusses both from the White House North Lawn. Mathematician and NYU professor Tristan Buckmaster has been working on solving the Navier-Stokes Problem for years; now OpenAI agents have solved it, but Buckmaster believes his work was used in the process. The mathematician discusses his conversations with OpenAI’s leadership and his own concerns about models training on private work. Plus, CNBC’s Contessa Brewer is in Macao for the NBA’s latest push, and a missed email at UPS resulted in China’s receipt of U.S. F-35 parts.  Contessa Brewer  - 04:39 Jamieson Greer - 11:34 Tristan Buckmaster - 24:24 In this episode:Amb. Jamieson Greer, @USTradeRepJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinContessa Brewer, @contessabrewerRyan Anastasio, @Ryan_Anastasio Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It’s day two of a new media behemoth under David Ellison’s Skydance umbrella. Founding partner of Puck Matt Belloni details the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, and he considers the giant’s headwinds, including cable’s declining profits and ~$80 billion in debt. Michael Lewis wrote “Moneyball,” “The Big Short,” “Going Infinite,” and “The Blind Side,” and he’s now out with a new book: “Blockers: Rebels in the Deep State.” The bestselling author discusses government efficiency and his own dive into the federal workers who resisted in the early days of Elon Musk’s DOGE effort. Plus, protests rage on in France, young people are leaning away from beer, and tech billionaires are only getting bigger.  Robert Frank - 08:23Michael Lewis - 21:55Matt Belloni - 35:07 In this episode:Matt Belloni, @MattBelloniJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinRobert Frank, @robtfrank Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

28 days from the midterms, Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) reflects on his tenure in government as documented in his new book, “How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents.” Sen. Tillis shares his own regrets and his hopes for a Republican Party under pressure from a fractured voter base. As AI innovation continues to spark moral and ethical questions about humanity, machines, and the dignity of work, religious leaders have begun to participate in discussions of the technology’s future. Reverend Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals, discusses the paths forward for humans and for society on the whole. Plus, President Trump has signed an executive order to make cheaper diesel more accessible, SpaceX shares jumped this week, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a State Disaster Emergency as measles cases rise in the state. Senator Thom Tillis - 13:18Rev. Walter Kim - 27:40In this episode:Thom Tillis, @SenThomTillisWalter Kim, @revwalterkimJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton has been picked to serve as AI czar, leading a “Super Intelligence Force” to address growing concerns about AI. Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is suggesting people “accept some bad things” in exchange for the benefits of AI. Professor, columnist, author, and happiness expert Arthur Brooks counsels AI users to retain control of their relationships in the AI era, and Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) discusses potential AI regulation. Plus, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent goes on the record about the bond market, nearly 200 were hospitalized in Siberia after exposure to the plague, and elections in Brazil and Spain are coming in the next month amid unrest in each country.  Arthur Brooks - 11:58Sen. Chris Coons - 22:45 In this episode:Arthur Brooks, @arthurbrooks Sen. Chris Coons, @ChrisCoonsJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.