Slate Money

This week: The US is weakening ties with its biggest ally while embracing an old enemy. Felix Salmon [https://www.axios.com/authors/fsalmon], Emily Peck [https://www.axios.com/authors/epeck], and Elizabeth Spiers [https://www.elizabethspiers.com/] explain how the Trump administration’s antagonization of Europe – and further alignment with Russia – could mean major economic blowback if it goes far enough. Then, rumor has it that Intel is looking to sell parts of its business off to foreign firms Broadcom and TSMC, possibly with Trump's blessing. The hosts explore the likelihood of the deal happening and the frankly confusing logic of it all. Finally, they discuss The Cut’s deep dive into the brand Quince [https://www.thecut.com/article/quince-legit-good-brand-dupes-shopping.html?ueid=4bcd72adc8f84a0177e2c411fb85cba7&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=One%20Great%20Story%20-%20February%2019%2C%202025&utm_term=Subscription%20List%20-%20One%20Great%20Story] and what makes the “one stop dupe shop” so popular. Plus, another edition of Egg Watch 2025 featuring the Wall Street of Eggs [https://www.wsj.com/business/retail/egg-industry-prices-shortage-clearinghouse-54435e03]. In the Slate Plus episode: Med spas are taking over America [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-19/med-spas-boom-with-botox-lip-filler-weight-loss-drugs-in-demand?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&embedded-checkout=true&sref=C3P1bRLC]. Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slate-money/id876523888] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2AgxNbNcUOckZSww9mk8mX]. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus [https://slate.com/podcast-plus?utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plus_pod&utm_content=Money&utm_source=episode_summary] to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

In this Money Talks: Lizzie O’Leary [https://slate.com/author/lizzie-oleary], host of What Next: TBD [https://slate.com/podcasts/what-next-tbd], joins Felix Salmon [https://www.axios.com/authors/fsalmon] to discuss her article on why government databases are crucial to our economy [https://slate.com/business/2025/02/donald-trump-data-deletion-jobs-report-economy-public-health.html], and why it’s so worrisome that this kind of public data is being removed by the Trump administration. Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slate-money/id876523888] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2AgxNbNcUOckZSww9mk8mX]. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus [https://slate.com/podcast-plus?utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plus_pod&utm_content=Money&utm_source=episode_summary] to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

This week: Trump has signed an order suspending the enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Felix Salmon [https://www.axios.com/authors/fsalmon], Emily Peck [https://www.axios.com/authors/epeck], and Elizabeth Spiers [https://www.elizabethspiers.com/] speculate on his motives and on how likely it actually is that this will shield anyone from the FCPA. Then, Elon Musk has taken $80 million that was sent to New York City by FEMA directly out of the city’s account. The hosts discuss the legality and worrisome precedent of the move. Finally, inflation is still a thing. They go over the latest inflation report which of course leads to another Egg Watch 2025. In the Slate Plus episode: Japanese 7Elevens [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-13/7-eleven-was-invented-in-the-us-but-perfected-in-japan?srnd=homepage-americas&sref=C3P1bRLC] Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slate-money/id876523888] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2AgxNbNcUOckZSww9mk8mX]. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus [https://slate.com/podcast-plus?utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plus_pod&utm_content=Money&utm_source=episode_summary] to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

This week: Trump almost started a trade war with our nearest neighbors. Felix Salmon [https://www.axios.com/authors/fsalmon], Emily Peck [https://www.axios.com/authors/epeck], and Elizabeth Spiers [https://www.elizabethspiers.com/] explain why Trump’s trade war with Canada and Mexico not happening is still newsworthy. Then, Felix breaks down why Trump’s plan for a US sovereign wealth fund makes no sense. And finally, Kalshi seems to have found a loophole by offering event contracts on the Super Bowl even in states where sports betting is illegal. The hosts discuss the distinctions between betting and trading futures, and how each are affected by their respective regulating entities.  In the Slate Plus episode: Egg Watch 2025 gets its own episode.  Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slate-money/id876523888] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2AgxNbNcUOckZSww9mk8mX]. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus [https://slate.com/podcast-plus?utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plus_pod&utm_content=Money&utm_source=episode_summary] to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli and Cheyna Roth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

In this Money Talks: Historian Quinn Slobodian’s 2023 book Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World Without Democracy [https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250753892/crackupcapitalism/] explored the dark reality that many extremists seek a purely capitalist society free of democracy. Now, with the Silicon Valley elite playing such a large role in Trump’s second term, Quinn's work is more relevant than ever. In this episode, Quinn joins Felix Salmo [https://www.axios.com/authors/fsalmon]n to discuss the relationship between radical tech billionaires and the Trump administration, and its potential consequences for our democracy. Want to hear that discussion and hear more Slate Money? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Slate Money show page on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slate-money/id876523888] and Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/2AgxNbNcUOckZSww9mk8mX]. Or, visit slate.com/moneyplus [https://slate.com/podcast-plus?utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plus_pod&utm_content=Money&utm_source=episode_summary] to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Jessamine Molli. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]