

Big Take DC
Bloomberg and iHeartPodcasts
We’re taking The Big Take to DC. Every Thursday, Bloomberg journalists dig into how money, politics, and power shapes Washington - and the consequences for voters across America.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 19, 2025 • 15min
Doing the Math on Trump’s Tax Bill
As the debate about President Trump’s tax bill — known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” — plays out among lawmakers in Washington, there’s been increasingly heated criticism of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. It calculates the costs and savings from the bill — including from the White House. On today’s episode of the Big Take, host Saleha Mohsin sits down with CBO director Phillip Swagel to hear how his agency churns out economic forecasts from inside the center of a political storm. Further listening: Stephen Miran Explains Why There’s No Secret Dollar PactSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 9, 2025 • 14min
What Happens Next in Los Angeles?
Today on the Big Take, Bloomberg national immigration reporter Alicia Caldwell joins host David Gura from Los Angeles to discuss the protests over ICE immigration raids, the clash between California and the federal government and how this fight could play out in other cities and in the courts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 5, 2025 • 18min
What’s Driving Europe’s Political Shift to the Right?
Poland’s election of a Trump-backed conservative nationalist president early this week is part of a larger shift to the right across the European continent: Much like in the US, conservative, nationalist and right-wing parties are gaining traction. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Rodney Jefferson and David Gura discuss the growing cultural divide behind Europe’s rising conservative movements and what their growth could mean for migration, climate policy and the future of the EU. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 29, 2025 • 17min
The Dollar’s Dominance Is Unwinding in Asia
As Donald Trump tries to remake global trade, the dollar’s historic dominance in Asia is under pressure. After Taiwan’s currency saw the biggest surge against the dollar in almost 40 years in early May, some money managers are saying the spike signals the acceleration of a bigger trend of moving investments back home. On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host Rebecca Choong Wilkins talks to Bloomberg’s Ruth Carson about what’s driving Asia’s shift away from the greenback and what a rewiring of global financial ties means for the region’s biggest economies. Further listening: Carry Trades, ExplainedCould the Chinese Yuan Ever Replace the US Dollar? Watch, from Originals: Why the US Is Getting DowngradedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 22, 2025 • 17min
Stephen Miran Says There’s No Secret Dollar Pact
Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers Stephen Miran has been a key voice in the Trump administration’s efforts to re-shape US economic policy, from near universal tariffs to a tax bill still in progress. On today’s Big Take DC podcast, Miran sits down with host Saleha Mohsin to talk about market volatility, the deficit and currency policy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 15, 2025 • 17min
President Trump’s Plans to Monetize the Middle East
President Trump is wrapping a whirlwind trip to the Middle East — complete with a flurry of proposed investment deals , controversial gifts and a major shift in US-Syria policy. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Joumanna Bercetche joins host David Gura to unpack the biggest headlines from the president’s tour of the Persian Gulf and discuss what they tell us about his larger plans for the region. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 28, 2025 • 19min
Inside Trump’s First 100 Days
President Trump will celebrate 100 days back in office this week. The milestone comes amid a US-China trade war, ongoing conflict overseas and high-stakes battles over the future of higher education.On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Josh Wingrove joins host David Gura to take stock of how Trump has used the last three months to reshape everything from global trade and immigration to the American presidency — and what they reveal about the road ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 23, 2025 • 16min
How Trump’s Tariffs Are Hitting Global Economic Growth
The International Monetary Fund released a forecast this week projecting that global GDP will grow just 2.8% — down half a percentage point since US President Donald Trump unleashed a raft of tariffs on April 2. Their projection for US GDP growth was particularly grim: Down nearly an entire percentage point from expectations earlier this year. And they’re not alone. As economists try to measure the potential outcome from the current trade war and the whiplash of on-again-off-again tariffs, Bloomberg Economics landed on similar GDP projections On today’s episode of the Big Take, host Sarah Holder is joined by Bloomberg’s Enda Curran and Bloomberg Economics Chief Economist Tom Orlik to discuss what these projections can — and can’t — tell us about where the trade war could lead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 21, 2025 • 19min
Can Trump Tell Powell ‘You’re Fired'?
President Trump’s attacks on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell just keep coming. Today on the Big Take, Bloomberg’s Michael McKee and Saleha Mohsin join Sarah Holder and David Gura to ask: Can the president actually fire Powell? And what impact could his ongoing threats have on the US dollar and global financial markets? Read more: Markets Are Discovering the Real Trump Trade Is ‘Sell America’See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 17, 2025 • 19min
Who Will Blink First in the US-China Trade War?
As the trade war between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping continues to escalate, economists around the world are asking who will blink first. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s John Liu and Jennifer Welch join host David Gura to discuss what it will take for both presidents to come to the negotiating table, how the current state of China’s economy impacts its positioning in the trade war and why hardball tactics are unlikely to work this time around.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


