WSJ What’s News – NATO Planes Shoot Down Russian Drones Over Poland

Date: September 10, 2025
Host: Caitlin McCabe, The Wall Street Journal

Overview

This episode covers escalating tensions in Eastern Europe as Russian drones violate NATO airspace, prompting a military response over Poland. The episode also digs into significant corporate and policy developments – including layoffs at Novo Nordisk, an update on Robinhood’s push into social media for traders, and the latest on President Trump’s regulatory and legal challenges.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Russian Drone Incursion into Poland & NATO Response

• Incident Summary

  • Multiple Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace—a NATO member—during an overnight strike against Ukraine, making it the most severe airspace violation of the war.
  • Polish and NATO (including U.S. F-35s) shot down the drones without reported damage, but airports across Poland were temporarily shut.
  • Stakes are high with this incident seen as a deliberate test of NATO readiness.

• Assessment by Dan Michaels (WSJ Brussels Bureau Chief):

  • "Several Russian drones crossed into Poland. They were shot down by Polish and other NATO air forces, including using American-made F35 fighter planes." (01:29)
  • The number of drones suggests this was no accident: “Quite likely what the Russians were doing here was trying to test some NATO defenses, not actually trying to destroy things in Poland.” (01:50)
  • This fits a worrying pattern: “People have been worried about... a sort of borderline situation where Russia or one of its proxies does something that is essentially hostile but isn’t at a level of being considered an act of war.” (03:20)

• NATO’s Position & Next Moves:

  • No official NATO response yet; the North Atlantic Council was already scheduled to meet, and will formally review Poland’s report.
  • The alliance does not want to escalate, striving to avoid actions that could lead to outright war. Member states are “scratching their heads” on how best to respond. (03:30)

• U.S. and European Diplomatic Context:

  • The incident comes as the U.S. has been pressing Russia for peace in Ukraine, but Russia is “not following through on any discussions of peace with actions that would suggest they actually want peace.” (03:53)
  • Intensifying Russian attacks suggest a contrary trajectory, making a peace deal seem unlikely to NATO leaders.

• EU Reaction:

  • Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission President, called the drone attack “reckless” and advocated for stronger sanctions:
    • “Today we have seen a reckless and unprecedented violation of Poland and Europe’s airspace by more than ten Russian shaheed drones. Europe stands in full solidarity with Poland.” (00:26, 04:32)

2. Other Major Headlines

Federal Reserve Shake-Up

• Lisa Cook’s Firing Blocked
  • A federal judge barred President Trump from removing Lisa Cook from the Fed’s Board of Governors while her lawsuit proceeds, indicating she may prevail given statutory limits on removal “for cause.” (05:32)
• Significance:
  • “This setback for the Trump administration comes just days before the Fed’s next policy setting meeting,” reminding listeners that Cook plays a key role in FOMC rate decisions. (06:03, Quentin Webb)

Trump’s Tariffs Face Supreme Court Test

• Supreme Court to Rule on Tariffs
  • The Supreme Court will rapidly review the legality of Trump’s sweeping global tariffs, which remain active pending their decision. (06:38)
  • Small businesses claim these tariffs are hurting economically and seek a fast resolution.

Crackdown on Drug Advertising

• FDA Steps Up Enforcement
  • The administration is sending thousands of enforcement letters to drugmakers regarding misleading TV, social, and telehealth ads.
  • Plans to close loopholes for broadcast ads that disclose only abbreviated side effect information.
  • Industry argues such ads help inform patients about healthcare decisions. (07:10)

3. Business & Markets Roundup

Novo Nordisk Major Layoffs

• Job Cuts Announced
  • Weight-loss drug leader Novo Nordisk to cut 9,000 jobs (11% of workforce) to save $1.3B by 2026 amid intensifying competition. (08:10)

Oracle’s AI-Fueled Surge

• Stock Performance
  • Oracle stock jumped 20% after a strong outlook on AI-powered cloud services, potentially reaching an all-time high. (08:30)

Klarna Goes Public

• IPO Debut
  • Swedish ‘buy now, pay later’ giant Klarna priced its IPO at $40 per share, giving it a $15.1 billion valuation — above expectations. (08:50)

4. Robinhood Launches Social Network for Traders

• Product Launch

  • Robinhood will introduce a social feed within its app where users can post, follow, and analyze verified trades — including those by public figures like former Speaker Nancy Pelosi. (09:00)

• Key Differentiator:

  • “You know that the authors of these posts and the trades they are posting about are real… you can doctor screenshots [on Reddit or X]... that may not be the case, right? So there’s a legitimacy element Robinhood is pointing to here.” (09:11, Hannah Aaron Lang)

• Rollout:

  • Beta limited to 10,000 users next year, marking a move to satisfy the most active traders.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ursula von der Leyen (EU Commission president):

  • “Today we have seen a reckless and unprecedented violation of Poland and Europe’s airspace by more than 10 Russian shaheed drones. Europe stands in full solidarity with Poland.” (00:26, replayed at 04:32)

• Dan Michaels (on NATO’s Conundrum):

  • “Basically everyone’s going to be scratching their heads on that issue today.” (03:41)

• Quentin Webb (on Fed lawsuit):

  • “This setback for the Trump administration comes just days before the Fed’s next policy setting meeting.” (06:03)

• Hannah Aaron Lang (on Robinhood’s Social Innovation):

  • "You know that the authors... are real because that's been a real problem." (09:11)

Important Timestamps

• 00:20 – Main headline: Russian drones violate Polish airspace
• 01:29 – Dan Michaels details the drone incident and response
• 02:29 – How NATO is reacting (or not reacting yet)
• 03:53 – The Kremlin’s peace posture questioned
• 04:32 – Ursula von der Leyen: EU calls for sanctions
• 05:32 – Federal judge blocks Lisa Cook’s removal from the Fed
• 06:38 – Supreme Court to consider Trump’s tariffs
• 08:10 – Novo Nordisk layoffs; Oracle’s surge; Klarna IPO
• 09:00 – Robinhood’s social network announcement
• 09:11 – Legitimacy and transparency features in Robinhood’s rollout

Tone and Style

The episode maintains a brisk, authoritative tone, focused on rapidly unfolding political, financial, and market events—blending concise reporting with expert analysis and urgent international context.