Marketplace Morning Report

Episode: Federal job cuts lead to a black market boom ... for ants

Date: September 4, 2025
Host: Sabri Benishore (in for David Brancaccio)

Episode Overview

This episode unpacks two major stories shaping U.S. economic and regulatory landscapes: President Trump's move to reshape the Federal Reserve with a controversial nominee, and the surprising surge in the illegal ant trade, which has boomed in the wake of federal job cuts in science and agriculture. Wired senior writer Kate Nibs explains how diminished government oversight is fueling a black market with real environmental and economic risks.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump’s Nominee for the Federal Reserve (00:59–02:54)

Guest: Nancy Marshall Genzer, Marketplace

• Stephen Myron’s Background:

  • Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers at the White House
  • Former senior strategist at Hudson Bay Capital
  • Senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute

• Myron’s Qualifications:

  • Advises Trump on “full employment and stable prices”—the Fed’s core mandate (01:55)
  • Emphasizes his market experience and understanding of Fed influence on borrowing

• Independence of the Federal Reserve:

  • Myron claims he will “preserve the Fed’s independence”
  • Contrary to this, in a Manhattan Institute essay, he argued that the president should be able to “remove Fed officials, quote, at will”—raising alarms as Trump attempts to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook (02:29–02:52)

Memorable Quote:

“Myron wrote the president should be able to remove Fed officials, quote, at will. That opinion is expected to get some attention today, especially considering that President Trump is now trying to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook.”
— Nancy Marshall Genzer (02:35)

2. Supreme Court Case on Presidential Tariffs (02:55–04:06)

• Context: The Trump administration asks the Supreme Court to uphold the legality of several tariffs after lower courts challenged presidential authority to impose them.
• Potential Economic Impact:
  • Billions in refunds may be required if struck down
  • Case does not affect tariffs on some products (e.g., steel, aluminum, pharmaceuticals), which have clearer legal standing
  • Supreme Court arguments expected early November

3. Federal Job Cuts and the Ant Black Market Boom (04:06–07:34)

Guest: Kate Nibs, Senior Writer at Wired

• Connection Between Federal Cuts & Illicit Ant Trade:
  • US Department of Agriculture staffing cuts hit entomologists and pest control experts
  • Reduced oversight emboldens black market activity, especially trading invasive or exotic ants

Insightful Explanation:

“A lot of people who were cut from the USDA were really prestigious entomologists, ... within the ant black market that no one is really paying attention. And so the results might unfortunately be, for all of us, rise in invasive species...”
— Kate Nibs (04:12)

• Two “Wings” of the Ant Black Market:
  1. Exotic, Invasive Ants (smaller group):
     • Ants not native to or allowed in the U.S.—potentially devastating ecological and economic consequences
  2. Domestic Sales Without Permits (majority):
     • Many sellers on platforms like eBay and Amazon ignore required cross-state sales permits
     • Often unintentional illegal activity, but still fuels unregulated movement of ants

Quote:

“A large percentage of ... the ants that you see for sale on platforms like eBay or Amazon are being sold by people who probably haven’t gotten the correct permits and are thus participating in the black market.”
— Kate Nibs (04:46)

• Risks of Invasive Species:
  • Ants can cause electrical damage and present public health threats (venomous/bite risks)
  • Loss of governmental enforcement heightens potential for environmental collapse

Quote:

“In states where invasive ant species have shown up, there have been situations where ... the ants will chew through electrical wires and cause a lot of damage... there’s like a huge public health implication if the ants are venomous or bite or otherwise harm people...”
— Kate Nibs (05:35)

• Worsening Trend Following Job Cuts:
  • Historically, regulation was already weak; now, with job cuts, individuals and foreign collectors are more aggressive
  • “Wild, wild west” mentality about enforcement (06:22–06:53)

Quote:

“Because people in the community are aware of the cuts, they’re not really trying to get permits anymore. ... there’s some people from outside of the United States who are actually now coming into the United States and collecting ants and ... selling them internationally because they perceive it to just be sort of a wild, wild west.”
— Kate Nibs (06:22)

• Broader Implications:
  • Ants are a “signal for this wider collapse in enforcement in protecting our environment from ... invasive species”
  • Diminished capacity to prevent poaching, invasive pests, and broader biosecurity threats

Quote:

“Even though ants seem like such a niche thing, they are sort of a signal for this wider collapse and enforcement in protecting our environment from invasive species.”
— Kate Nibs (07:13)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “Myron wrote the president should be able to remove Fed officials, quote, at will...”
  — Nancy Marshall Genzer (02:35)

• “A large percentage of ... the ants that you see for sale on platforms like eBay or Amazon are being sold by people who probably haven’t gotten the correct permits and are thus participating in the black market.”
  — Kate Nibs (04:46)

• “It’s like obviously a niche concern, but the potential threat is actually pretty serious.”
  — Kate Nibs (05:35)

• “Even though ants seem like such a niche thing, they are sort of a signal for this wider collapse and enforcement in protecting our environment from invasion, invasive species.”
  — Kate Nibs (07:13)

Important Segments by Timestamp

• 00:59–02:54 — Trump’s Fed nominee: background, views, and implications
• 02:55–04:06 — Presidential tariffs legal battle and business stakes
• 04:06–07:34 — Federal staffing cuts fueling a boom in illicit ant trade: mechanics, risks, and big-picture consequences

Tone and Style

The conversation seamlessly blends sharp economic analysis with a dry sense of humor and urgency. While the ant market topic sounds quirky on the surface, both host and guest stress its real-world gravity, situating it within broader regulatory and environmental breakdowns.

Summary

This episode delivers a brisk, insightful update on consequential federal moves—in monetary policy and biosecurity regulation. It unpacks how high-level political nominations could erode central bank independence, while seemingly obscure federal staffing cuts are opening the floodgates to environmental and economic risks via the illicit ant trade. Beneath the surface, it’s a story about the hidden consequences when regulatory oversight falters.