WSJ What's News: Trump to Push Big Tech to Fund New Power Plants

Date: January 16, 2026
Host: Luke Vargas, The Wall Street Journal

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on President Trump’s new push requiring major tech companies to fund new power plants to support rapidly-expanding data center demands. The episode also covers Canada’s pivot to closer trade relations with China, evolving US-Iran tensions and the potential impact of American intervention, key business and market headlines, and a surprising examination of how clothing influences airline passenger behavior.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump Administration Move: Tech-Powered Power Plants

[00:33] – [02:20]

• Main Story: In response to growing resistance to new data centers and rising electricity costs, President Trump’s administration is readying a proposal that would require tech giants to fund construction of new power plants.
  • The nation’s largest grid operator, PJM, would hold an emergency auction for tech companies to bid on 15-year contracts—formalizing “bring your own power” trends in data center construction.
  • Federal vs. State Oversight: The Energy Secretary recently asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to draft rules giving it more control over how large data centers connect to the grid, superseding traditional state authority.
  • Some state regulators are pushing back, arguing federal plans encroach on their oversight.

Notable Quote

"Officials argue that the change could get data centers connected to the grid faster and easier, though some state regulators are pushing back, saying the plan... encroaches on their authority."
— Luke Vargas [01:37]

2. Canada Pivots to China as U.S. Relations Chill

[02:20] – [04:19]

• Background: Canadian PM Mark Carney’s visit to Beijing signals an intentional shift as Washington sidelines Ottawa.
• Trade Details:
  • Canada to allow Chinese EVs into its market, hoping for Chinese investment in Canada’s auto and clean energy sectors.
  • Canadian farmers gaining more access to the Chinese market—especially for canola, with talks of easing China’s 76% tariff.
  • Canada maintains a 100% tariff on Chinese EVs, so movement here is economically and symbolically significant.
• Big Picture: China is Canada’s #2 trading partner ($80B over 12 months) compared to $1T with the US.

Notable Quote

"China can't really replace the US as a trading partner, but it can give a boost to Canada."
— Peter Seidel [03:55]

3. Trump & the Nobel Peace Prize Gesture

[04:19] – [05:20]

• Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corinna Machado presented President Trump a symbolic Nobel Peace Prize medal, though the Nobel committee quickly clarified that awards cannot be transferred.
• Trump praised Machado on social media but offered no change in US policy toward Venezuela, which continues to recognize Delsey Rodriguez (Maduro’s deputy) as acting president.

4. Cell Phone Radiation Warnings Updated

[05:20] – [06:00]

• The FDA has quietly removed web pages stating cell phones pose no health risk, aligning with a new HHS study on cell phone radiation.
  • Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and supporters argue phones might cause illnesses like cancer, but mainstream scientific evidence remains inconclusive.
  • Agency says removal is to “clear old conclusions” and review research gaps.

5. US-Iran: Limits of Military Intervention

[06:56] – [11:14]

• Military Options Debated: Trump wants a major strike option against Iran, but experts agree such intervention’s efficacy is unclear.
• Obstacles to Regime Change:
  • Regime durability: Opposition in Iran is decentralized and often leaderless due to systematic suppression.
  • Security apparatus shows no signs of defection; government remains heavily armed and oppressive.
  • Historic echoes: Obama in 2009 chose not to intervene amid the Green Revolution protests, wary of claims of US meddling and the risk of harsher crackdowns.

Notable Quotes

"Almost no matter what option Trump went for... it is unclear what effect, if any, it would have on the ground and how it would change the power balance between protesters and the government."
— Suna Rasmussen [07:39]

"This is a tactic we've seen Iranian... government take in the past as well" — on internet blackouts as a tool of repression.
— Suna Rasmussen [09:59]

• Alternative Actions:
  • Improving Iranians’ Internet access (e.g., via Starlink) to aid coordination among protesters and facilitate external monitoring.
  • Continued European government pressure and granting refuge to dissidents.
  • But, per Rasmussen, these actions don’t address the regime’s core hold on power, given its willingness to kill unarmed protesters.

6. Markets & Business News Briefs

[11:21] – [12:47]

• Mitsubishi to acquire over $5B in shale assets in Texas and Louisiana, with possible LNG exports to Asia and Europe.
• Norway’s Equinor gets the green light to resume construction on the Empire Wind project off Long Island, as a federal judge sides with corporate harm over national security concerns.

7. Dress Codes and Better Behavior on Planes?

[12:47] – [13:17]

• The US Transportation Secretary’s campaign—“The Golden Age of Travel starts with you”—encourages better dress for improved passenger behavior.
  • FAA reports a 400% rise in in-flight disruptions since 2019, spiking during the pandemic.
  • Mixed response: Most travelers dress for comfort, not appearances, and online reactions dismiss the dress code’s effectiveness.

Notable Quote

"Dressing to impress probably isn't going to make you any less stressed if you find yourself sleeping on the floor of an airport."
— Dean Seale [13:07]

Memorable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

• Grid policy shift:
  “Officials argue that the change could get data centers connected to the grid faster and easier, though some state regulators are pushing back, saying the plan... encroaches on their authority.” — Luke Vargas [01:37]

• Canada’s economic pivot:
  “China can't really replace the US as a trading partner, but it can give a boost to Canada.” — Peter Seidel [03:55]

• Limits of intervention in Iran:
  “Almost no matter what option Trump went for... it is unclear what effect, if any, it would have on the ground.” — Suna Rasmussen [07:39]

• Internet blackouts as government strategy:
  “This is a tactic we've seen Iranian... government take in the past as well.” — Suna Rasmussen [09:59]

• Plane dress code skepticism:
  “Dressing to impress probably isn't going to make you any less stressed if you find yourself sleeping on the floor of an airport.” — Dean Seale [13:07]

Important Segment Timestamps

• 00:33: Tech companies may soon have to fund new power plants
• 02:20: Canada’s trade pivot to China
• 04:19: Trump & the Nobel Peace Prize
• 05:20: Cell phone radiation health warnings updated
• 06:56: Potential US Strike on Iran, with history and analysis
• 11:21: Key markets and business headlines
• 12:47: Does airline attire influence behavior?

Conclusion

This edition of “What’s News” delivers a broad overview of urgent policy changes affecting energy, foreign trade realignments, contentious foreign policy debates, and cultural trends intersecting with economics and public conduct. The analysis presents a nuanced look at the limits of government power—be it over the electricity grid, protesting populations abroad, or the behavior of airline passengers in the sky.