Podcast Summary: Apple News Today

Episode: The affordability problem Trump can’t escape
Host: Shumita Basu
Date: December 9, 2025

Overview

In this episode, host Shumita Basu explores several of the day’s top stories, with a primary focus on President Trump’s ongoing struggles with addressing consumer affordability and economic unease. The episode also covers Russia’s recruitment tactics for its military, the latest developments in the high-stakes battle to acquire Warner Brothers, legal shake-ups within Trump’s Justice Department, and recent woes at the Louvre museum.

Main Story: Trump and the Affordability Crisis

Theme and Background

• President Trump is visiting Pennsylvania to address pricing and affordability, a recurring theme from his previous campaigns. Despite attacking the Biden administration over inflation and cost-of-living issues, Trump now faces pressure to demonstrate action and empathy as economic concerns linger.
• The administration’s record on tariffs, grocery goods, drug pricing, and farm aid is examined against polling that shows widespread dissatisfaction with Trump’s economic performance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Trump's Messaging and Criticism

• Trump dismisses Democratic rhetoric on affordability as a “con job”:

  “You know, there's this fake narrative that the Democrats talk about affordability. They just say the word. It doesn't mean anything to anybody. Just say it. Affordability. I inherited the worst inflation in history. There was no affordability. Nobody could afford anything.”
  —President Trump [01:28]

• Despite his framing, economic worries persist among voters, even those who supported Trump.

Pressure for Empathy and Policy Response

• Josh Dawsey (Wall Street Journal) details White House advisers urging Trump to empathize with the public's struggles:

  “So what they're trying to do is to get the president to have more empathetic messaging... We get you, we see you, we feel you.”
  —Josh Dawsey [01:59]

• Administration actions include:

  • Rolling back tariffs on groceries (Brazilian coffee, beef)
  • Plans to cut prices for weight loss drugs
  • Rolling back fuel efficiency rules for cheaper cars
  • Billions in aid for farmers affected by past tariff policies

Public Reaction and Political Risk

• Polls show:

  • 62% of Americans disapprove of Trump's economic performance (Washington Post)
  • Even Trump voters cite affordability as their top concern, feeling Trump “isn’t doing enough.”

• Dawsey, quoting Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp:

  “People will give the president some leeway sometime, but they're not gonna be forgiving forever and ever.” [03:02]
  The midterms loom, and economic dissatisfaction could pose a serious challenge:
  “If you have an economy that's not humming on all cylinders… I think it would be a very, very difficult political environment.”
  —Josh Dawsey [03:33]

Russia’s Military Recruitment: A Relentless Machine

Key Discussion Points

• As peace talks with Ukraine stall, Russia’s sustained influx of troops becomes a concern for Western observers.

• Early public outrage followed forced mobilization, leading the Kremlin to offer incentives rather than rely solely on coercion.

• Ekaterina Bodegina (Politico):

  • Incentives include cash bonuses up to $50,000, debt relief, free childcare, and guaranteed university spots for soldiers’ children.
  • Personal story: A 44-year-old father of three joins for financial survival after economic ruin and legal trouble:

    “He slipped into the army after financial collapse… So that was like the last resort for him.”
    —Ekaterina Bodegina [06:08]

  • Despite the risks, these incentives can be “life changing” for Russian families [06:45].

• Russia is expected to reach 1.5 million troops next year, which alarms European policymakers who fear Moscow is preparing for further aggression [07:07].

• Ukrainian forces are often outnumbered, with cases of desertion:

  “There are some parts of the front line where for five Russian soldiers, there is just one Ukrainian soldier… multiple Ukrainian soldiers who are deserting...”
  —Bodegina [07:25]

Warner Brothers Acquisition: A Hollywood Power Struggle

Key Discussion Points

• Paramount is challenging Netflix’s $83 billion deal with an aggressive $100+ billion offer, including more cash and potentially fewer regulatory hurdles.

• David Ellison (Paramount CEO) details their bid:

  “Our offer is $30 a share, all cash... With commitments from Citi, Bank of America, and Apollo. We have faster regulatory certainty to close. And our deal is pro consumer, it's pro creative talent, it's pro competition.”
  —David Ellison [08:25]

• The Trump administration's tangled connections to the deal:

  • Trump has relationships with both Ellison (Paramount) and Sarandos (Netflix)
  • Jared Kushner's firm is invested in Paramount's bid, seen as a conflict of interest
  • Experts note Trump's direct involvement is unusual:

    “Trump said just in the last two days that he will be involved in whether or not federal regulators approve Netflix plan. That’s by the way, not supposed to be how this stuff works, but... it is how things work in the Trump era.”
    —David Folkenflick, NPR [09:55]

• Warner Bros’ film library’s value underscored by sweeping Golden Globe nominations.

Additional Headlines

• Justice Department Shakeup:
  Several of Trump’s recent appointees, including Alina Habba, were found to be serving unlawfully as acting US attorneys past federal limits, prompting resignations and renewed scrutiny over bypassing Congressional approval [11:07].

• Pentagon Transparency:
  Proposed legislation could force Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to release unedited videos of U.S. Caribbean military strikes, tying it to his travel budget as leverage [12:24].

• Louvre Museum Hardships:
  The Louvre suffered another setback—a water leak damaged hundreds of rare Egyptian library books, compounding negative headlines following a jewel heist and upcoming worker strikes over poor conditions and security [12:24].

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I inherited the worst inflation in history. There was no affordability. Nobody could afford anything.”
  —President Trump [01:28]

• “We get you, we see you, we feel you.”
  —Josh Dawsey, summarizing administration’s push for empathy [01:59]

• “This kind of money really did change his life and his family's life.”
  —Ekaterina Bodegina on Russian military incentives [06:45]

• “Trump said just in the last two days that he will be involved in whether or not federal regulators approve Netflix plan. That’s... not supposed to be how this stuff works, but... it is how things work in the Trump era.”
  —David Folkenflick, NPR [09:55]

Key Timestamps

• [00:34] - Trump's Pennsylvania visit, campaign deja vu on affordability
• [01:28] - Trump’s dismissal of “affordability” narrative
• [01:59] - White House advisers push for empathy
• [03:33] - Risks of political fallout if economic concerns persist
• [05:48] - Inside Russia’s recruitment incentives
• [06:45] - Life-changing impact of Russian military contracts
• [08:25] - Paramount CEO details Warner Bros. bid
• [09:55] - Conflict of interest and Trump’s role in antitrust review
• [12:24] - Louvre’s double crisis: water leak ruins rare artifacts

For more details, visit the Apple News app, or listen to the full episode to hear the day’s top journalism in context.