Stay Tuned with Preet Is Trump an Economic Despot? (with Daron Acemoglu)
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Sep 4, 2025 
Daron Acemoglu, an MIT professor and 2024 Nobel Prize co-recipient, dives into the economics of democracy and power shifts in the U.S. He discusses President Trump’s controversial decisions impacting federal agencies and the implications of government equity in corporations like Intel. Acemoglu also critiques the erosion of democratic trust and highlights the risks of rising wealth inequality. In a bonus segment, he compares the Industrial Revolution with the AI revolution, revealing what is often overlooked in such analyses.
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Nobel Opened Doors In China
- Acemoglu recounts renewed invitations from China after winning the Nobel Prize despite prior criticism of China.
- He notes China often invites critics but does not seek genuine policy advice.
Sweden’s Crisis Intervention Example
- Acemoglu contrasts Sweden's state interventions in crisis as defensible versus coercive U.S. actions.
- He praises past Swedish bank takeovers but warns context and guardrails matter.
Rejecting Simplistic Labels
- Acemoglu jokes he isn't a socialist and dislikes broad labels like socialism or capitalism.
- He emphasizes nuanced analysis over partisan labels when judging policies like state equity stakes.
