Big Take DC

Tires and doors falling off mid-flight. A top US official stranded because of a 737 jet maintenance issue. Boeing is facing the ire of US lawmakers, scrutiny from its key regulator, and pressure from Wall Street ahead of an earnings report — all as it struggles to rebuild trust with passengers after a string of crises.On this week’s Big Take DC, Saleha Mohsin digs into Boeing’s rise and fall with reporter Julie Johnsson, global aviation editor Benedikt Kammel, and long-time pilot and accident investigator Captain John Cox.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Japanese company’s bid to buy US Steel has sparked a fight with the United Steelworkers union — and put the company at the center of the 2024 presidential contest. Today on the Big Take DC, reporters Joe Deaux and Josh Wingrove trace why the deal came to a halt, how the company fits into Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s brands of political nostalgia, and why the fate of this deal could have an outsized impact on the election.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After years of letting the private tax e-filing industry run the show, the IRS is finally piloting an online tool that’s supposed to make tax season easier – and free – for thousands of taxpayers in a dozen states.  On this episode of The Big Take DC podcast, we explore how the idea got off the ground, who can use it, and whether the program could ever compete with the powerful private tax-filing industry.Corrects date the Free File Alliance was launched in podcast published April 4.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Immigration has become a top issue for voters in the 2024 election cycle, but people on the border want action now — not after November. On the Big Take DC podcast, Bloomberg's Washington Bureau Chief Peggy Collins visits Eagle Pass, Texas, to explore why the US-Mexico border is shaping up to be a dominant campaign issue and what the needs on the ground really are. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US House of Representatives has passed a bill with an ultimatum for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance: sell the app, or be banned in the US. Today on The Big Take DC podcast, Bloomberg’s Dan Flatley and Alex Barinka cover the national security concerns behind this bill and the potential geopolitical and tech industry consequences.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is trying to navigate a tricky economy – stubborn inflation and persistent fears of a recession. Now, two men hoping for a second term in the White House are drawing the central bank into the political fray. “We can expect that things are going to get a little spicy,” Bloomberg’s Kate Davidson, who covers the Fed, joins the Big Take DC podcast to talk about the battle to maintain the central bank’s independence in the glare of 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump faces four criminal trials amounting to 91 felony counts, and three civil cases. None of this has fazed his base as he runs for election. “If he was in jail, I sure would vote for him,” said Ralph Hunter, a South Carolina resident. He told the Big Take DC podcast that while he doesn’t like Trump “as a person,” he was impressed with his presidency.Trump’s electability is intact – but his finances are another story. Today on the Big Take DC: How Trump’s legal woes are hitting his wallet and his re-election bid. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fifteen states voted in the presidential primary contest on Super Tuesday, marking a decisive point in the election cycle. Former President Donald Trump’s campaign notched a clear victory as he marches down the path to clinching the Republican nomination. For President Joe Biden, between Super Tuesday and his State of the Union on Thursday, it’s officially the beginning of campaign season. Is Trump’s grip on the GOP’s future solidified? Will Biden be able to rekindle Trump angst to compete with Trump nostalgia? Host Saleha Mohsin and Bloomberg politics editor Mario Parker talk about the vulnerabilities each candidate faces, and what lies ahead in 2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Explore the secretive world of Project Maven, the US military's AI project, with insights on challenges, ethics, and advancements in targeting technology. Discover the clash between military and tech cultures, ethical dilemmas, and the balance between accuracy and ethics in military AI operations.

Two years after the Kremlin's forces invaded Ukraine, US-led sanctions have certainly changed Russia's economy – but they haven’t stopped the war. The US Treasury’s chief sanctions economist contends the effort is working. But an analyst who worked at Russia’s central bank before fleeing in 2022 counters that the economy is very much alive. In this episode of the Big Take DC, we find out about Russia’s “brain drain,” how an economy that was shrinking is projected to beat earlier expectations in 2024 and whether Russia will ever regain global prestige.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.