The Trump Economy Is Now Pay To Play

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch dig into the Trump administration’s increased meddling in the tech sector, from profit-sharing deals to a possible government stake in Intel. They discuss the recent spike in the consumer price index, the president’s controversial pick to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and what the latest data signal for the economy.

The conversation then shifts to Washington, D.C., where President Donald Trump has declared a state of emergency, put the local police under federal control, and deployed National Guard troops from multiple states as part of a sweeping crime crackdown. Despite over 1,700 officers and agents on the streets last week, the arrests were no higher than an average day, raising questions about whether the operation is more about politics than public safety. Later, the hosts turn to Trump’s meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where threats of “severe consequences” gave way to softer rhetoric and even the adoption of some of Putin’s language. A listener question lightens the mood by imagining the Roundtable as a band, with Peter on sousaphone.

0:00—Has Trump created a banana republic economy?

15:42—Consumer price index, jobs report, and the new BLS nominee

20:54—D.C. police department now under federal control

38:48—Listener question on a Roundtable musical group

45:14—Trump’s meetings with Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy

55:34—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in the podcast

“Intel Is Reportedly the Latest Company Trump Wants a Piece Of,” by Joe Lancaster

“Trump’s Tracking of AI Chip Shipments Exposes Flaws in His Export Control,” by Tosin Akintola

“Trump Administration Plans To Tax More American Companies on Overseas Sales,” by Jack Nicastro

“Soaring Wholesale Prices Mean Higher Inflation Is Coming. Are Tariffs To Blame?” by Eric Boehm

“Republican Governors Send National Guard to D.C.,” by Liz Wolfe

“The Government Sent ’20 Police Officers’ With Riot Gear To Rearrest D.C. Sandwich Thrower, Says Attorney,” by Billy Binion

“D.C. Residents Are Right To Protest Unconstitutional Police Roadblocks,” by C.J. Ciaramella

“For Ukraine, ‘Losing Slowly’ Might Be a Winning Strategy,” by Paul Schwennesen

“Does Donald Trump Know What a Dictator Looks Like?” by Matt Welch

“The End of Prestige,” by Ross Barkan

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• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post The Trump Economy Is Now Pay To Play appeared first on Reason.com.

Source: https://reason.com/podcast/2025/08/18/the-trump-economy-is-now-pay-to-play/