Swamp Notes: Do Republicans still care about debt?

US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on steel to 50 per cent this week. He’s also allowing Japan’s Nippon to buy the US Steel Corporation. The moves are meant to bring back manufacturing to America’s steel industry. But will they? FT senior trade writer Alan Beattie and Zehra Munir, the FT’s industrial reporter, discuss whether Trump can make good on a popular promise. Mentioned in this podcast:It’s always steel — tariffs provide Trump with a familiar trade weaponDonald Trump’s US Steel gamble: Pennsylvania workers warm to Nippon tie-upSign up for the FT’s Trade Secrets newsletter hereSign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Katya Kumkova, Henry Larson and Lauren Fedor. The FT’s acting co head of audio is Topher Forhecz. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. CREDIT: The White House YouTube channel Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump and China’s leader Xi Jinping agreed to launch a new round of high-level trade talks, the European Central Bank cut interest rates by a quarter point and Europe is being flooded with steel diverted from the US because of high tariffs. Plus, the FT’s Aanu Adeoye explains how a Russia-backed junta leader in Burkina Faso became an icon across Africa. Mentioned in this podcast:Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agree to launch new round of trade talksChristine Lagarde signals ECB rate-cutting ‘nearly concluded’‘The cult of Saint Traoré’: how a Russia-backed junta leader became an iconEU hit by surge in steel imports as US tariffs divert shipmentsToday’s FT News Briefing was produced by Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Henry Larson, Fiona Symon, and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Sam Giovinco, Michael Lello and David da Silva. Our intern is Michaela Seah. 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.

Apple’s rollout of artificial intelligence services in China with Alibaba is being held up, Wells Fargo faces an uphill battle to catch up with its rivals after asset cap was lifted, and US President Donald Trump says Russian President Vladimir Putin is not ready for “immediate peace” with Ukraine. Plus, the European Commission has finally given Bulgaria the green light to join the Eurozone in 2026.Mentioned in this podcast:Apple and Alibaba’s AI rollout in China delayed by Trump trade warWells Fargo has finally shed its dunce capWells Fargo asset cap lifted after ‘fake accounts’ scandalPutin planning to retaliate for Ukraine drone attack, says TrumpBulgaria to join Eurozone in 2026Today’s FT News Briefing was produced by Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Lulu Smyth, and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Blake Maples, Michael Lello, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s acting co-head of audio. 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.

Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof resigned after far-right leader Geert Wilders walked out of his coalition government, Mexico’s new supreme court is set to solely contain judges nominated by the ruling coalition, and Eurozone inflation fell below the European Central Bank’s 2 per cent target. Plus, the FT’s Akila Quinio explains how the Royal Bank of Scotland was nationalised in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis and then reborn. Mentioned in this podcast:Far-right Dutch leader Geert Wilders quits governmentTiny slice of Mexicans elect supreme court closely tied to ruling partyEurozone inflation falls below target to 1.9%The RBS story: how the world’s biggest bank was nationalised and then rebornSouth Korean leftwinger Lee Jae-myung wins presidential electionToday’s FT News Briefing was produced by Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Ethan Plotkin, Fiona Symon, Mischa Frankl-Duval, and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Blake Maples, Michael Lello, and Gavin Kallmann. Our intern is Michaela Seah. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s acting co-head of audio. 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.

Elon Musk’s xAI is launching a $300mn share sale that values the group at $113bn, and China’s property sector woes are compounded by tariff worries. Plus, Poland’s new president is going to make life hard for the country’s prime minister, and the FT’s Amelia Pollard explains why US president Donald Trump wants to take mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac private. Mentioned in this podcast:EU companies more concerned about China slowdown than tariffsDonald Trump’s plans for Fannie and Freddie would mean payday for hedge fundsNationalist candidate Karol Nawrocki wins knife-edge Poland presidential electionElon Musk’s xAI seeks $113bn valuation in $300mn share saleToday’s FT News Briefing was produced by Sonja Hutson, Ethan Plotkin, Kasia Broussalian, Fiona Symon, Mischa Frankl-Duval, and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Blake Maples, David da Silva and Gavin Kallmann. Our intern is Michaela Seah. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s acting co-head of audio. 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.

Private equity dealmaking around the world slowed down in the second quarter of 2025, and South Korea holds elections on Tuesday after months of political instability. Plus, office space construction in the UK has reached a ten-year low, and Wall Street is warning that a little-publicised foreign tax provision in Donald Trump’s budget bill could upend markets. Mentioned in this podcast:Trump tariffs cut off recovery in private equity dealmakingLeftwing ‘brawler’ on verge of South Korea presidencyThe ‘quiet’ crisis brewing between the US and South KoreaForeign tax provision in Trump budget bill spooks Wall StreetUK office construction drops to 10-year lowToday’s FT News Briefing was produced by Sonja Hutson, Ethan Plotkin, Kasia Broussalian, Henry Larson, and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Peter Barber. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s acting co-head of audio. 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.

Republicans are often known as the party of fiscal responsibility. This week, Swamp Notes unravels the US House of Representatives’ “big, beautiful” bill and its uncertain path forward in the Senate. Edward Luce, US national editor and columnist, and James Politi, Washington bureau chief, explain what made congressional Republicans go all in on big spending, tax cuts and more debt. Subscribe to the new Swamp Notes feed here. Mentioned in this podcast:Read Edward Luce’s column on the new ‘moron premium’ for TreasuriesUS House passes Donald Trump’s showpiece tax billSign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Lauren Fedor, Katya Kumkova and Henry Larson. Topher Forhecz is the acting co-head of audio. Special thanks to Pierre Nicholson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The White House is fighting court rulings that US President Donald Trump’s ‘liberation day’ tariff scheme is illegal, and a former Goldman Sachs banker was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the 1MDB scandal. Plus, how Wall Street offloaded billions of dollars of debt from Elon Musk’s Twitter deal.Mentioned in this podcast:Court tariffs bombshell should inspire trading partners to defy TrumpTrade Secrets NewsletterFormer Goldman Sachs banker sentenced to two years in prison for 1MDB roleHow Wall Street offloaded $13bn of debt tied to Elon Musk’s Twitter dealToday’s FT News Briefing was produced by Sonja Hutson, Fiona Symon, Henry Larson and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Michael Lello, and Gavin Kallmann. Blake Maples mixes our show. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s acting co-head of audio. 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.

A US court invalidated President Donald Trump’s “liberation day” tariff scheme yesterday. Nvidia reported a nearly 70 per cent surge in quarterly revenues, and the US has said it will not renew Chevron’s oil licence in Venezuela. Plus, Texas and Nevada are seeking to challenge the dominance of Delaware with company-friendly law.Mentioned in this podcast:US trade court invalidates Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffsNvidia quarterly revenue surges nearly 70% on AI boomUS government will not renew Chevron’s Venezuela oil licenceTexas vs Nevada — the battle to woo companies is heating upToday’s FT News Briefing was produced by Sonja Hutson, Henry Larson and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Blake Maples and Michael Lello. Topher Forhecz is the FT’s acting co-head of audio. 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.

US stocks jumped yesterday after President Donald Trump said trade talks with the EU were headed in a "positive" direction, and McKinsey cut 10 per cent of its staff in an effort to increase profits. Plus, Asian currencies are getting a boost from investors’ bets on US trade deals and the FT’s Leslie Hook explains what’s next for Rio Tinto after it asked its chief executive Jakob Stausholm to step down. Mentioned in this podcast:US stocks jump as Donald Trump touts ‘positive’ progress on EU trade talksAsian currencies boosted by investor bets on US trade dealsMcKinsey sheds 10% of staff in two-year profitability drive Rio ousted chief Jakob Stausholm to seek boss with more mining experienceToday’s FT News Briefing was produced by Sonja Hutson, and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Blake Maples and Michael Lello. 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.