Best Justin Wolfers Podcasts (2025)

1
Justin Wolfers: Tacos, Tariffs, and the Taquito Economy 46:10

11h ago46:10

46:10

Economist Justin Wolfers joins Charlie Sykes to unpack the economic whiplash of Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again trade wars, explaining why the president's tariff policies are more than just political theater—they’re rewriting the rules of international trade. In a lively, metaphor-rich conversation, they explore the constitutional implications o…

1
Justin Wolfers & Kate Compton Barr 50:23

11d ago50:23

50:23

Think Like an Economist podcast host Justin Wolfers details our ongoing and misguided tariff saga.Can’t Win Victory Fund’s Kate Compton Barr examines how running candidates who can’t win can still help Democrats succeed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

1
S2 Ep1041: Justin Wolfers: Trump's Centrally Planned Economy 56:11

22d ago56:11

56:11

China sounds downright Reaganesque and is acting like a more stable, attractive trading partner than the country that launched a trade war. And even though Trump loves play-acting businessman, and calling CEOs by their first name, no one on Wall Street and no one who studies economics likes his continuing tariffs—they know they hurt American compan…

1
S2 Ep1060: Ta-Nehisi Coates: A Natural Human Reaction 1:21:09

2h ago1:21:09

1:21:09

Trump and Stephen Miller wanted a backlash against the immigration raids, because even they know that humans will respond when the federal government is snatching people off the street. But the tenor of modern protests is not going to be like the Civil Rights Movement, because activists back then were trained to suppress their natural inclination t…

1
Rick Wilson & David A. Graham 48:35

18h ago48:35

48:35

The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson skewers Trump weaponizing the National Guard against protesters. David A. Graham details his new book The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

1
Sen. Angus King: The Fragility of American Democracy 28:17

43m ago28:17

28:17

Senator Angus King joins Charlie Sykes for a sobering conversation on the erosion of constitutional norms, the rise of authoritarianism, and Congress’s failure to defend its own power. Drawing lessons from history—including Margaret Chase Smith’s defiance of McCarthyism—King warns that America’s democratic experiment is more vulnerable than most re…

1
Stuart Stevens & John Cassidy 47:09

2d ago47:09

47:09

The Lincoln Project’s Stuart Stevens parses Elon and Trump’s breakup and the case for nationalizing SpaceX and Starlink. The New Yorker’s John Cassidy details his book Capitalism and Its Critics: A History — From the Industrial Revolution to AI. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

1
S2 Ep1059: Sam Stein: The Divorce 58:43

18m ago58:43

58:43

Elon went nuclear, accusing Trump of being a pedo, taking credit for his election victory, and calling for his impeachment. Trump in return may try to destroy Musk's businesses, or worse. While the public feud is entertaining—Thursday was one of the best days for Twitter and Steve Bannon—their meltdown is also frightening. It shows that we are at t…

1
S2 Ep1058: Matt Yglesias: Elon's Smash and Grab 1:07:23

19m ago1:07:23

1:07:23

Trump's and Musk's very public breakup may be amusing, but don't lose sight of the fact that DOGE was a failure—despite what the manosphere says. Elon's ego trip found no fraud and cut only a minor amount of spending. But those cuts are meaningfully hurting the global poor as well as scientific research at home. And now, Republicans are trying the …

1
Our Love-Hate Relationship with Billionaires (with Evan Osnos) 1:14:20

8m ago1:14:20

1:14:20

There are less than 1,000 billionaires in the U.S. Why do they matter so much? New Yorker staff writer Evan Osnos joins Preet to discuss his new book, “The Haves and Have-Yachts,” which paints a broad portrait of the lives of the ultrarich, the state of American oligarchy, and the dire wealth disparity in this country. Plus, Preet answers questions…

1
Adam Kinzinger: The Billionaire Breakup 41:17

36m ago41:17

41:17

Charlie Sykes and Adam Kinzinger dig into the political fallout from Elon Musk's dramatic split with Donald Trump, examining what it means for MAGA loyalty, conservative orthodoxy, and the future of Republican messaging. They explore how the culture war has overtaken fiscal policy, the strategic shifts in the war in Ukraine, and the geopolitical im…

1
Dan Nathan & Alan Elrod 46:39

5d ago46:39

46:39

Risk Reversal’s Dan Nathan details the business world's reaction to Trump’s insane tariffs. Alan Elrod examines their brilliant new article You’re Not Crazy. America Has Gone Mad. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

1
S2 Ep1057: Rahm Emanuel: Trump Is a Chump 1:08:31

13m ago1:08:31

1:08:31

The lovelorn TACO trader has been hanging by the phone at 2am hoping China's Xi will call him to make a tariff deal. But that call is not coming without America paying a very high price— because world leaders know that Trump is a feckless, desperate negotiator. Meanwhile, Republicans are blowing off Elon's take-down of the reconciliation bill and p…

1
Dana Milbank & Marc Dunkelman 42:39

6d ago42:39

42:39

The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank examines the turning of the tide against Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill. Marc Dunkelman details his new book Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress―and How to Bring It Back. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

1
Trump's Losing Streak 15:49

15m ago15:49

15:49

Should a president have unchecked authority to impose tariffs on foreign nations? In an excerpt from this week’s Insider episode, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss the Court of International Trade’s unanimous ruling that President Trump exceeded his authority by invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose sweeping…

1
S2 Ep1056: Catherine Rampell: Slow Burn 53:21

7m ago53:21

53:21

Jamie Dimon is spooked about the bond market, business uncertainty about tariffs is dragging the economy, and it seems like no politician will get serious about our nation's debt until it's too late. Meanwhile, Republicans don't even like their own spending bill since they only lie about it—it's just in service of making Trump happy. Plus, Stephen …

1
S2 Ep1055: Bill Kristol: The Grotesqueness of It All 55:42

21h ago55:42

55:42

Mike Johnson and Russ Vought outright lied on camera about the proposed Medicaid cuts and the impact they would have on millions of Americans. Marco Rubio lied about the children who are dying because of USAID cuts. And Joni Ernst is reimagining Christianity to be about Jesus teaching his followers not to care about the sick and the poor because th…

1
Rick Wilson & Antonia Hylton 50:56

8d ago50:56

50:56

The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson examines Elon Musk’s short-lived reign over DOGE and what his exit from D.C. means. MSNBC’s Antonia Hylton details her new NBC News Digital documentary The Children’s Pastor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

1
Julian Zelizer: The End of the Bromance 44:34

2d ago44:34

44:34

Historian Julian Zelizer joins Charlie Sykes to discuss Donald Trump’s growing hostility toward former allies—from the Federalist Society to Elon Musk—and what it signals about a second Trump term. They explore the erosion of institutional guardrails, the chilling effects on higher education, and the constitutional dangers of unchecked presidential…

1
Jeet Heer & Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan 47:40

9d ago47:40

47:40

The Nation’s Jeet Heer examines Leonard Leo vs. Trump and the infighting ripping MAGA apart. Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan details her run for the Senate. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

1
S2 Ep1054: Adam Serwer, Lauren Egan, and Justin Jones: The Attack on Knowledge 1:00:58

4d ago1:00:58

1:00:58

The Trump administration is trying to exert ideological control over every knowledge-producing institution in the country. And the assault on colleges is not only about having fewer highly-educated voters, but also depriving Americans of trusted sources of information—much in the way Trump in 2020 wanted to stop counting Covid cases so it looked li…

1
S2 Ep1053: Live from Chicago 43:56

5d ago43:56

43:56

Adam Kinzinger joined Tim on stage in the Windy City Wednesday night to dis Chicken Trump, who's made bitcoin bros, private prisons, his family and friends—and himself—the main winners in his 'TACO' trade economy. Meanwhile, Obama's nuclear deal with Iran may be getting resurrected, and Trump finally seems to realize that Putin is a warmonger. Plus…

1
The Gray Area: The science of ideology 56:08

5d ago56:08

56:08

Preet's out this week, so we're excited to share an episode of The Gray Area with Sean Illing, which we think listeners of Stay Tuned will enjoy. We'll be back next week! What do you do when you’re faced with evidence that challenges your ideology? Do you engage with that new information? Are you willing to change your mind about your most deeply h…

1
Ron Fournier: The End of Big, Beautiful Friendships 39:09

5d ago39:09

39:09

Charlie Sykes is joined by veteran journalist Ron Fournier to discuss the unraveling of Donald Trump’s once-close alliances with Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin, and Benjamin Netanyahu. They unpack the transactional nature of power, the scale and brazenness of political corruption, and the challenge of escaping America’s two-party stranglehold. The episo…

1
S2 Ep1052: George Packer: JD, Hollow Man 1:17:19

6d ago1:17:19

1:17:19

Our VP used to think his path to power was through the ruling class at Yale Law School. But after 2016, he saw that his route was through Trump, so he swapped one set of elites for another. And now as a lord among the MAGA ruling class, he's embracing his true cruel, lying self—and railing against the globalists who nitpick about this silly due pro…

1
Evan Osnos & Randi Weingarten, 46:00

12d ago46:00

46:00

The New Yorker’s Evan Osnos examines the broligarchy’s reckless actions while detailing his new book The Haves and the Have Yachts. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, spells out the cruel attacks in Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

1
S2 Ep1051: Pete Buttigieg: Dream Bigger, Talk More Boldly 1:04:16

7d ago1:04:16

1:04:16

Democrats need vastly more imagination to confront the enormous challenges the country faces politically, economically, and on climate. The party can't just focus on stopping what is happening in Washington. Meanwhile, Trump can't stop insulting the intelligence of the American people, every part of the political spectrum has something to hate abou…

1
ACLU v. Trump’s Immigration Agenda (with Cecillia Wang) 14:05

7d ago14:05

14:05

On this week’s Insider episode, Joyce Vance is joined by ACLU National Legal Director Cecillia Wang, while Preet is out for his son’s college graduation. In an excerpt from the episode, Cecillia discusses the organization’s lawsuit challenging Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged Venezuelan gang members. In the full convers…

1
S2 Ep1050: Bill Kristol: Something Worth Fighting For 32:05

8d ago32:05

32:05

Despite our missteps in some of our more recent wars, we were fighting to bring freedom, democracy, and self-governance to others. Now, Trump's mercantilist agenda is showing us what it looks like to not have an American-led world order. And even after Russia's largest aerial assault on Ukraine since the war began, he still won't threaten Putin—onl…

151
Rick Wilson & Justin Brannan 41:26

15d ago41:26

41:26

The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson examines the "big, beautiful bill" and its raw deal for the American people. New York City Councilman Justin Brannan details his run for NYC Comptroller and how the job can change citizens’ lives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

1
Garry Kasparov: The Putinization of America 48:24

9d ago48:24

48:24

Garry Kasparov, Russian dissident and former world chess champion, dissects what he calls the "Putinization" of America. They explore Trump’s admiration for strongmen, the collapse of institutional resistance, and how American democracy is being reshaped by unchecked executive power, corruption, and fear. With lessons from Russia and a warning for …

1
Andy Levy & Gov. Ned Lamont 43:53

16d ago43:53

43:53

As The World Churns’ Andy Levy surveys the chaos and corruption in Trump World. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont details how he’s navigating Trump’s aggression toward blue states. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

1
S2 Ep1049: James Comey: Uncomfortably Numb 52:59

11d ago52:59

52:59

Public corruption used to be a congressman hiding $90,000 in his freezer. Now, we have a president taking "me time" to rake in $40 million from a Chinese crypto billionaire who was facing fraud charges under POTUS 46. And that's just a drop in the bucket of some of Trump's recent haul. Of course, today's FBI will do nothing about it, and his buddie…

1
S2 Ep1048: Jonathan Chait: House GOP Doesn't Care How Bad the Bill Is 1:06:45

15d ago1:06:45

1:06:45

Republicans moved at such lightning speed that even they don't know how many people would lose health insurance— or how much they'd be spiking the deficit with their highly risky and big, ugly turd of a bill. And they don't care because they're cosmically committed to stopping the government from making rich people pay for healthcare for people who…

1
Monopoly Isn’t A Game (with Lina Khan) 1:02:56

12d ago1:02:56

1:02:56

Why should any of us care about monopolies? Lina Khan, the youngest-ever chair of the Federal Trade Commission, joins Preet to discuss the real-world impact of monopoly power, the surprising bipartisan support for antitrust enforcement, and her rapid rise to prominence after publishing a groundbreaking paper on Amazon's business practices during la…

1
Chris Cillizza: Can we walk and chew gum at the same time? 1:00:19

13d ago1:00:19

1:00:19

Charlie Sykes and Chris Cillizza discuss the political rise and fall of Elon Musk, the self-inflicted wounds of the Democratic Party, and the continuing fallout from the Biden presidency. From Tesla’s brand implosion to the revelations in Jake Tapper’s book Original Sin, they explore how delusion, denial, and a lack of strategic foresight contribut…

1
Dahlia Lithwick & Katie Porter 52:39

18d ago52:39

52:39

Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick surveys the endless lawlessness we’re seeing as the Trump administration defies the courts. Former Congresswoman Katie Porter details her run for California Governor and how she’d handle the sea change happening in the state right now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.…

1
S2 Ep1047: Susan Glasser: American in Name Only 51:14

13d ago51:14

51:14

On deportations and on foreign policy, the Trump administration is swapping out American values and violating everything the U.S. has stood for in exchange for kleptocracy and transactionalism with the world's worst tyrants. But at the same time, Trump can't even seem to grasp that Putin has been waging war for decades to accomplish his goals and i…

1
Lawrence O’Donnell & Mike Bird 47:44

19d ago47:44

47:44

MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell dissects Trump’s constant need to exaggerate at every opportunity.The Economist’s Mike Bird details how tariffs are affecting Americans. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

51
SCOTUS to Trump: "Not So Fast" 14:18

14d ago14:18

14:18

What happens when a court that often defers to the President finally says “not so fast”? In an excerpt from this week’s Insider episode, Preet Bharara and Joyce Vance discuss the Supreme Court opinion halting the Trump administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act to rapidly deport alleged Venezuelan gang members. Also on the Insider docket: – The …

1
S2 Ep1046: David French: Schizo-in-Chief 1:11:59

14d ago1:11:59

1:11:59

One day Trump sounds like Bernie promising the government will provide for everything. Then the next, he's like Paul Ryan the belt-tightener, prepping for austerity. And Code Pink was the order of the day when Mr. Tough Guy was in Saudi Arabia—attacking the foreign policy of the United States in the land of the 9/11 hijackers. Plus, Trump's SCOTUS …

1
Jessica Reidl: The GOP's Coming Debt Bomb 45:22

15d ago45:22

45:22

Charlie Sykes is joined by conservative economist Jessica Riedl for a deep dive into how the Republican Party abandoned its principles of fiscal responsibility and free market economics. They dissect the illusion of Elon Musk’s DOGE budget cuts, the incoherence of Trump’s tariffs, and the looming threat of a debt crisis Congress seems determined to…

1
S2 Ep1045: Bill Kristol: A New Gilded Age 52:35

15d ago52:35

52:35

No, the Trump administration is not focused on the forgotten man or bringing industrial jobs back. Instead, the real estate developer is handing out threats left and right—fresh off his Middle East trip, where he scored numerous deals with Islamofascists for himself, his family, and his cronies. And no matter what he says, the 'Palace in the Sky' i…

1
Rick Wilson & Callum Williams 45:55

22d ago45:55

45:55

The Lincoln Project’s Rick Wilson examines life in the newly minted United States of Arabia.The Economist’s Callum Williams details why Gen X may be the saddest generation America has ever seen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

1
David Frum: The Grift, the Gaudiness, and the Guardrails 57:26

18d ago57:26

57:26

Charlie Sykes and David Frum discuss the staggering corruption and cluelessness behind Donald Trump’s acceptance of a $400 million Qatari jet—complete with a backstory of diplomatic white elephants and Vegas-style décor. They explore how Trump’s second term is shaping up to be less about governance and more about retirement planning, international …

1
Charlie Sykes & Rep. Greg Casar 47:25

24d ago47:25

47:25

To The Contrary newsletter author Charlie Sykes examines Trump’s Middle East trip and all its chaos. Representative Greg Casar details how Democrats can effectively message to win back voters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.By iHeartPodcasts

1
S2 Ep1044: Peter Hamby: All in Service of Kissing Trump's Ass 1:26:38

18d ago1:26:38

1:26:38

MAGA is having a performative tantrum calling for James Comey to be jailed over a seashell meme because the daily job of Trump's supporters and Cabinet members is to try to warm his heart—that includes Kristi Noem changing her face and Tulsi firing top intel officials because they told the White House the truth it doesn't want to hear. Meanwhile, f…

1
S2 Ep1043: Michael Weiss: All Bribes Accepted 52:04

19d ago52:04

52:04

American taxpayers may have flown Donald Trump to the Middle East, but he's not there to negotiate on behalf of our strategic or national interests—he's on the prowl for goodies, and happy to make policy changes in return. Like, the new Syrian president offering a Trump Tower in Damascus: Zap, sanctions on Syria are over. Or the jumbo jet-giving Qa…

1
Trump’s Misuse of History (with Heather Cox Richardson & Joanne Freeman) 1:05:38

23d ago1:05:38

1:05:38

What happens when a U.S. president doesn’t know his history? Historians Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman join Preet to discuss the history of due process, the misuse of historical events for political messaging, and how Trump misunderstood the Declaration of Independence. And check out Preet’s live conversation with Heather and Joanne on S…

1
Jim Acosta: Focus Like a Laser Beam on Trump's Corruption 46:06

19d ago46:06

46:06

Charlie Sykes is joined by Jim Acosta to break down Donald Trump’s latest scandal—accepting a luxury jet from Qatar—and what it says about the normalization of political corruption. From meme coins to constitutional crises, they explore how shamelessness has become a political strategy and why even Trump’s populist image may start to crack. The con…

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Justin Wolfers Podcasts

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