Trump’s Dumb Ideas To Save The Economy w/ Justin Wolfers

Molly Jong-Fast welcomes economist Justin Wolfers for a wide-ranging, banter-filled conversation that starts with a sobering update on the U.S. economy: revised data and a sharply negative jobs report suggest the “green shoots” were a statistical mirage, with job losses since “Liberation Day” and growth far weaker than optimistic White House claims. Wolfers argues the country is effectively in a “jobs recession” and warns the administration against compounding economic fragility—before the discussion pivots to the fallout from bombing Iran, including surging oil prices, higher gas costs for households, and global market instability. He explains why today’s shock differs from the 1970s due to U.S. energy independence but stresses America remains “price dependent” on global oil markets, especially with threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The pair also dissect the administration’s attempted fixes—loosening sanctions on Russian oil and leaning on strategic reserves—while criticizing the lack of planning and the broader human and financial costs of escalation.

Subscribe to Fast Politics and listen 4x a week for interviews just like this on your favorite podcast app