Scott Bessent is President-Elect Trump’s pick to be the treasury secretary, a role that spans oversight of the $28 trillion market for US government debt to economic sanctions.

Today on the show, Big Take DC’s Saleha Mohsin joins host David Gura to discuss the tightrope act that landed Bessent the nomination: winning over both MAGA and Wall Street.  

Read more: How Scott Bessent Won Over MAGA and Wall Street

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US intelligence officials say that a hacking campaign known as “Volt Typhoon” has the potential to disrupt critical infrastructure systems in Guam — a significant hub for the US military that holds particular importance in US-China relations. 

On today’s Big Take DC podcast, Bloomberg national security reporter Katrina Manson shares what she’s learned about the threat and how it could limit America’s ability to push back if China were to invade Taiwan.

Read more: The US’s Worst Fears of Chinese Hacking Are on Display in Guam

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In his final month as the United States’ chief diplomat, Secretary of State Antony Blinken is racing around the globe, responding to conflicts in the Middle East and the latest developments in the war in Ukraine. 

During a stop in New York, he sat down with host David Gura to talk about how he is preparing to hand over the country’s sprawling foreign policy portfolio to the incoming Trump administration.

Read more: Syria: Blinken Says US Weighs Sending Officials for Talks - Bloomberg

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From inflation data to unemployment rates, the US government releases numbers every month that move markets and shape policies. But the agencies responsible for gathering that data are struggling — and President-elect Donald Trump’s promise to find cuts across agencies could further strain their resources.

On today’s Big Take DC podcast, Bloomberg economics editor Molly Smith joins host Saleha Mohsin to dig into what’s at stake if the federal government scales back on its investment in economic data.

Read more: 

• Market-Moving Data Under Threat as Trump Returns to Washington

• BLS Needs Culture Revamp After Botched US Releases, Review Finds

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Surveys have shown that business leaders around the US are excited about Donald Trump’s return to the White House. But not all of the policies he’s promising appeal to every CEO. 

On today’s Big Take DC podcast, Business Roundtable CEO Josh Bolten joins host Saleha Mohsin to share what the business leaders he represents want from tax and trade policy — and Bloomberg’s Nancy Cook describes how Trump relishes one-on-one negotiations with fellow executives.

Read more: US Executives Turn More Optimistic After Trump Win, Surveys Show

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Power brokers, administration nominees and even the prime minister of Canada have travelled to Mar-a-Lago in recent weeks to meet with President-elect Donald Trump at his resort, making it a new center of political power.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg wealth reporter Amanda Gordon joins host David Gura to discuss Trump’s use of Mar-a-Lago in the lead-up to his inauguration, the impact he’s had on the surrounding area and South Florida’s growing influence on national politics.

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After a messy, public competition between hopefuls, President-elect Donald Trump nominated hedge fund manager Scott Bessent to be the next Treasury secretary. 

On today’s Big Take DC podcast, hosts Saleha Mohsin and David Gura discuss why Trump chose Bessent, and how Bessent might approach the job.

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Over the last week, President-elect Donald Trump has announced his nominees for the top jobs in his administration. But one key position that hasn’t been filled yet is Treasury secretary, and the person Trump picks will play a crucial role in shaping US economic policy.

Senior Washington correspondent and host Saleha Mohsin joins David Gura to tick through the top candidates under consideration and how each might shape the Treasury’s priorities if chosen and confirmed. 

Read more: Bessent Hails Trump Agenda as Candidates Vie for Treasury Post

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Less than two days after Donald Trump won a second term, the Federal Reserve announced a rate cut. But speaking to reporters, Fed’s Powell faced difficult questions about the path forward for interest rates — and for him — under Trump.

Bloomberg economic policy editor Kate Davidson joins host Saleha Mohsin to discuss how Powell’s answers today set up for a rematch between him and Trump over the Fed’s mission and independence. 

Read more: Trump’s Victory Casts a Shadow Over the Federal Reserve

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As America heads to the polls for Election Day, thousands of poll workers and local officials are taking extreme measures to keep things running smoothly and to convince the public that they can trust the results.

On today’s Big Take podcast, we hear from election officials and from Bloomberg national security reporter Chris Strohm on efforts to ensure the safety and integrity of the 2024 US election.

Read more: ‘What Worries Me? Everything’: Officials Brace for US Election Day

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The world is watching for instability after the US election next week. If there’s a repeat of the chaos that followed the 2020 results, it could damage not just American democracy, but something else: the global financial system that America dominates.

Today on the show, host Saleha Mohsin is joined by former Senator Pat Toomey to unpack what’s at stake for a world that runs on US dollars if a peaceful transfer of power is no longer a given in the world’s oldest democracy.

Read more: Election-Violence Risk Threatens US Dollar Dominance

Further listening: Bloomberg’s Trump Interview: Inside His Economic Vision for a Second Term

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