Economist Mike Konczal joins the show to unpack the escalating pressure campaign against the Federal Reserve, new inflation data, and what all of this means for the U.S. economy. Jacob and Mike discuss whether Trump’s confrontation with Jerome Powell is genuinely dangerous, how tariffs and immigration policy are shaping prices and growth, and why the labor market looks weaker beneath the surface. Mike is more cautiously optimistic than we expected - but the downside risks remain real.

Timestamps:

(01:26) - Fed and Executive Branch Dynamics

(05:49) - Economic Consequences and Market Reactions

(09:03) - Global Perspective on US Economic Policies

(14:09) - Impact of Tariffs and Trade Policies

(15:12) - Future of Fed Independence and Supreme Court Cases

(17:06) - Economic Theories and Real-World Implications

(27:01) - Economic Data Post-Government Shutdown

(27:14) - Inflation Insights and Core Prices

(28:02) - Trump's Approval Ratings and Economic Perception

(29:03) - Unemployment Rate and Labor Market Analysis

(30:48) - Federal Reserve's Stance on Inflation

(31:34) - Impact of Tariffs on Inflation

(33:13) - Trump's Influence on Federal Reserve Policies

(41:00) - Economic Predictions for Midterms

(45:43) - China's Trade Surplus and Global Impact

(51:32) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Referenced in the Show:

Jacob Shapiro Site: jacobshapiro.com

Jacob Shapiro LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jacob-l-s-a9337416

Jacob Twitter: x.com/JacobShap

Jacob Shapiro Substack: jashap.substack.com/subscribe

The Jacob Shapiro Show is produced and edited by Audiographies LLC. More information at audiographies.com

Jacob Shapiro is a speaker, consultant, author, and researcher covering global politics and affairs, economics, markets, technology, history, and culture. He speaks to audiences of all sizes around the world, helps global multinationals make strategic decisions about political risks and opportunities, and works directly with investors to grow and protect their assets in today’s volatile global environment. His insights help audiences across industries like finance, agriculture, and energy make sense of the world.