Swamp Notes: The costs of Trump’s tariffs

This week the US imposed new tariffs on most of the world. The FT’s US national editor Ed Luce joins us to analyze why they are baffling economists and worrying markets. Ed’s take? The US is taking itself out of the globalised economic system it built, and the consequences could be grave. Mentioned in this podcast:Donald Trump’s beautiful trade warTrump tracker: US tariffsSign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Katya Kumkova. 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump’s tariffs caused a global market sell-off on Thursday. Now, there are concerns that these levies will push the US into a recession. We speak to the FT’s senior markets correspondent Ian Smith and our economics editor Sam Fleming about the repercussions. Mentioned in this podcast:Dollar drops as Donald Trump’s tariffs stoke economic fearsBling, bags and booze fall victim to Trump’s trade war Will Donald Trump’s ‘liberation day’ tariffs drag US into recession? The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Ethan Plotkin, Lulu Smyth, 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.

Donald Trump launched a barrage of new tariffs on trading partners, and Tesla’s share price jumped on a report that chief executive Elon Musk could be leaving his US government role. Plus, the FT’s Ben Hall explains what’s next for Marie Le Pen now that France’s far-right leader has received a five-year ban from standing in elections. Mentioned in this podcast:Donald Trump escalates global trade war with sweeping tariff blitzElon Musk denies role in Trump administration is under pressureTesla suffers worst quarter since 2022 as deliveries tumbleFrench court leaves Marine Le Pen’s political career on the brinkThe FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Ethan Plotkin, Lulu Smyth, 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.

US venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz is in talks to invest in social media platform TikTok, US President Donald Trump is expected to lay out his sweeping tariffs policy today, and European inflation is down for the second straight month. Plus, Syria’s White Helmets have returned to Damascus as the country tries to rebuild from its brutal civil war. Mentioned in this podcast:Andreessen Horowitz in talks to help buy out TikTok’s Chinese ownersWhat to expect on ‘liberation day’Eurozone inflation falls for second consecutive month to 2.2%Syria’s White Helmets return to DamascusThe FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Ethan Plotkin, Lulu Smyth, 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.

Google’s artificial intelligence arm DeepMind has been holding back the release of its world-renowned research, and Elon Musk has poured an unprecedented amount of money into a Wisconsin state supreme court race. Plus, Lebanon’s new central bank governor Karim Souaid has been mired in controversy. Mentioned in this podcast:DeepMind slows down research releases in battle to keep competitive edgeThe people vs Elon Musk: billionaire transforms Wisconsin court contestLebanon closes in on next central bank headThe FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Ethan Plotkin, Lulu Smyth, 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.

Investors warn that higher bond yields in Germany could make it harder for EU members to increase defence spending, and the tech world’s largest public offering in 18 months fell flat on Friday. China was targeted by a record number of trade disputes at the World Trade Organization last year, and traders in Gaza are charging commissions of 30% on hard currency due to severe shortages. Mentioned in this podcast:Germany’s spending push drives up borrowing costs across EurozoneCoreWeave treads water in market debut after downsized IPO China’s export boom sparks record number of WTO disputesThe money menders of Gaza Isar declares rocket launch a success despite crash on first attempt to reach orbit Credit: Isar Aerospace The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Ethan Plotkin, Lulu Smyth, 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.

As Congress works through President Donald Trump’s recent budget, one of the likeliest cuts on the chopping block is Medicaid. The government health insurance programme is used by one in five Americans, including many voters who make up Trump’s Maga base. So could cuts to Medicaid actually threaten Trump’s hold on Republicans? Washington bureau chief James Politi and US politics and society correspondent Guy Chazan are on to discuss if a showdown is coming between the party’s fiscal hawks and those who’d like to preserve social welfare programmes. Mentioned in this podcast:The big government spending Maga voters can’t live withoutUS House passes budget resolution to cut taxes and spending by trillionsSign up for the FT’s Swamp Notes newsletter hereSwamp Notes is produced by Katya Kumkova. 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

US President Donald Trump’s auto tariffs hit carmaker shares and Chinese financial authorities have told some companies they can start launching mainland initial public offerings. Plus, protesters in Turkey are worried about the future of their democracy. Mentioned in this podcast:China opens path to revival in A-share listingsDonald Trump’s tariffs throw car industry into turmoilTurkish protesters rise up against Recep Tayyip ErdoğanThe FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Ethan Plotkin, Lulu Smyth, and Marc Filippino. Additional help from Breen Turner, Sam Giovinco, Katie McMurran, 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.

The US will impose tariffs of 25 per cent on imports of foreign-made autos and Piyush Gupta will step down after 16 years as chief executive at Singapore’s DBS bank. UK inflation unexpectedly fell to 2.8 per cent in February, and Rolls-Royce has seen its share price skyrocket since 2023, in large part due to chief executive Tufan Erginbilgiç. Mentioned in this podcast:Donald Trump to impose 25% tariff on US auto importsDBS and Jack Ma: how a meeting helped change the history of Singapore’s biggest bankTurning round Rolls-Royce: ‘If you don’t score quickly, you lose people’UK inflation slows more than expected to 2.8% The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Ethan Plotkin, Lulu Smyth, 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.

Beijing has introduced environmental restrictions that would prevent Chinese companies from buying Nvidia’s bestselling processors, UK chancellor Rachel Reeves will update the country on Wednesday on the latest economic growth forecasts, and Shell has said it will cut costs and spending, especially in clean energy. Plus, individual investors have pumped almost $70bn into US stocks this year even as professional money managers are slashing their exposure.Mentioned in this podcast:Nvidia’s China sales face looming threat from Beijing environmental curbsWhat will be in Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement?Shell slashes costs in ‘relentless’ drive to close valuation gap with US rivalsRetail traders plough $67bn into US stocks while investment giants fleeThe FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian, Ethan Plotkin, Lulu Smyth, 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.