The Brian Lehrer Show

How President Trump is Bigfooting Big Business

Aug 18, 2025
William Cohan, co-founder of Puck News and author of Power Failure, dives into how President Trump is shaking up big business. He discusses Trump's confrontations with major financial institutions and speculates on whether his actions signal a shift towards socialism or authoritarianism. The conversation highlights Trump's influence on economic indicators and Wall Street's concerns about his potential impact on Social Security and market stability. Cohan also reflects on Trump’s reputation among financial executives and the implications of changing job report frequencies.
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INSIGHT

Trump Targets Goldman To Embarrass Elites

  • Donald Trump publicly pressured Goldman Sachs over an economist's tariff report and mocked CEO David Solomon's DJ past.
  • William Cohan argues Trump aims to embarrass elite institutions to score political points and distract the public.
ADVICE

Preserve Economic Teams' Independence

  • Private firms should guard their economists' independence despite political pressure to maintain credibility.
  • Rely on respected internal analysts when government data becomes politicized.
INSIGHT

Power Plays Aim At Liberal Institutions

  • Cohan says Trump is flexing power against elite, liberal institutions rather than broad business sectors in red states.
  • He suggests this is a daily strategy to distract from political and legal troubles.
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