Big Take

The Big Take from Bloomberg News brings you inside what’s shaping the world's economies with the smartest and most informed business reporters around the world. The context you need on the stories that can move markets. Every afternoon.

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The White House’s Shifting Explanations for the Iran War Tuesday, March 3, 2026

As the war with Iran widens in the Middle East, legislators on both sides of the aisle have expressed frustration with a lack of advance notice of the strikes and the inconsistencies in the administration’s justifications and goals for the military action. On today’s Big Take, Bloomberg national political correspondent Nancy Cook and national security reporter Jamie Tarabay join the show to discuss what Trump is trying to accomplish in Iran, what powers Congress has to shape US involvement and whether legislators will support what Trump tries to do next. Read more: US Congress Unlikely to Limit Trump on Iran War for Now Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Nancy Cook and Jamie Tarabay; Edited by Tracey Samuelson. Fact-checking by David Fox, Eleanor Harrison-Dengate and Julia Press; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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After Months of Succession Planning, Who’s Leading Iran? Monday, March 2, 2026

The US and Israel’s attacks on Iran have entered their third day — and President Donald Trump said Monday that the US military operation could continue for weeks, or more. On today’s Big Take podcast, reporter Golnar Motevalli talks to host Sarah Holder about the widening regional conflict, Iran’s succession plans and what we know about the end game for the US as President Trump vows to do “whatever it takes.” Follow Bloomberg’s live coverage here. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press and Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Reported by Golnar Motevalli; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott. Fact-checking by David Fox and Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Engineering by Katie McMurran. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Escalating Conflict With Iran Sunday, March 1, 2026

Targets in Iran, Israel and in the Middle East are under attack in an unprecedented escalation in the conflict between the US and Iran. The combat operations come after weeks of negotiations between the US and Iran over what remains of its nuclear program. On today’s Big Take, Bloomberg’s Jeff Mason and Joumanna Bercetche join host David Gura to discuss the timing and goals of this weekend’s strikes — and the risk of a widening, regional conflict. This is a developing story. We are live blogging at Bloomberg.com with the latest from across the globe. Read more: Diplomacy Shifts to War: How Trump’s Team Decided to Attack Iran Oil Market’s ‘Worst Fears’ Are Here as Gulf Conflict Hits Hormuz Hosted by David Gura; Produced by David Fox and Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Jeff Mason and Joumanna Bercetche; Edited by Naomi Shavin. Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein Says the Market Is Due For a Reckoning Sunday, March 1, 2026

After steering one of Wall Street’s iconic investment banks through the financial crisis, former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein is investing his own money and, with the publication of a new memoir, reflecting on his time at the firm. On today’s Big Take podcast, Blankfein tells host David Gura how he uses AI, what he sees as a worrying expansion of opaque investment products and what happens when public companies respond to political pressures. And David asks him about the resignation of Goldman’s top lawyer following the release of the latest Epstein files. Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Julia Press; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott. Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Special Report: US and Israel Strike Iran Saturday, February 28, 2026

President Donald Trump says the US has begun major combat operations against Iran. Airstrikes have been carried out by Israel and the US, with multiple provinces hit. Iran in turn has fired back at Israel and targeted US bases and assets in the region, including Bahrain, the UAE, Kuwait and Iraq. This comes after weeks of talks failed to produce a fresh agreement on Iran’s nuclear program. OPEC+ will consider the option of a larger supply increase when key members meet on Sunday. This is a developing story. We are live blogging at Bloomberg.com with the latest from across the globe. You can also listen at Bloomberg News Now.We have a special Bloomberg subscription offer for podcast listeners at Bloomberg.com/podcastoffer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Sixth Bureau Episode 4: The Duck Analogy Friday, February 27, 2026

In Episode 4 of The Sixth Bureau, a series from The Big Take, we follow a spy from China’s Ministry of State Security as he tries to plan a delicate overseas meeting with a valuable source. But the person he’s talking to isn’t working alone. The Sixth Bureau from Bloomberg News follows an MSS intelligence officer whose mission was to acquire the crown jewels of American aerospace companies. With aliases, blackmail and the occasional break-in, he targeted corporate giants. That is, until his sloppiness — and a cunning FBI sting — led to a stunning reversal: Xu Yanjun became the first Chinese intelligence officer ever convicted on American soil. The Sixth Bureau is the story of superpowers, their secrets and how one Chinese spy got caught. Listen to Episodes 1 - 3 here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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How the ‘Power Game’ Is Reshaping Venezuela Thursday, February 26, 2026

After US forces captured former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January, President Donald Trump said the US would “run” the South American country. What’s actually happened since? On today’s Big Take podcast, host David Gura has a sweeping conversation with International Crisis Group senior analyst Phil Gunson, who’s based in Caracas and has tracked Latin American politics for decades. Further listening: Why Trump Wants Venezuela’s Oil How Venezuela Shifts China’s Calculus The Domino Effect of the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ Hosted by David Gura and Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Edited by Aaron Edwards. Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Katie McMurran. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Is Apple Winning the ‘AI Scare Trade’? Wednesday, February 25, 2026

As the “AI scare trade” jolts companies large and small, Apple shares keep doing their own thing. The company has “decoupled” to the greatest degree in 20 years from forces moving the rest of the Nasdaq 100. Why — and how? On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder talks to Bloomberg’s equities reporter Ryan Vlastelica and Chief Apple Correspondent Mark Gurman about how the company became a hedge against fears of AI disruption — and why that may not be a good thing. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by David Fox; Reported by Ryan Vlastelica and Mark Gurman; Edited by Jeffrey Grocott. Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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A Guide to the State of Trump and the Union Tuesday, February 24, 2026

President Trump heads into Tuesday evening’s State of the Union address with sagging poll numbers just days after his signature tariff strategy was struck down by the Supreme Court. As a speaker with a history of diverging from script, Trump is expected to defend everything from his record on affordability to his approach to Iran in order to rally his base ahead of midterm elections. On today’s Big Take Podcast, White House reporter Josh Wingrove joins host David Gura to discuss what this year-one milestone means for Trump amid tensions in the US and around the world. Read more: Trump to Make Economic Sales Pitch to Congress as Headwinds Grow Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Josh Wingrove; Edited by Naomi Shavin. Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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After Trump's Major Tariff Setback, The World Asks: What Now? Monday, February 23, 2026

From Brussels to Beijing, the United States’ largest trading partners are digesting the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn President Trump’s signature tariffs — along with his threats to impose new, potentially stickier levies by other means. On today’s Big Take podcast, Big Take Asia host K. Oanh Ha sits down with Bloomberg China economy and government editor Jenni Marsh and Bloomberg’s top trade editor Brendan Murray to discuss the global reaction to Trump’s tariff setback: how countries like China are pushing for more favorable terms, the additional levers Trump is using to build a “tariff wall” around the US and what this could mean for the future of global trade. Hosted by K. Oanh Ha and Sarah Holder; Produced by Naomi Ng and Julia Press; Reported by Jenni Marsh and Brendan Murray; Edited by Paddy Hirsch; Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate and David Fox; Engineering by Katie McMurran Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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SCOTUS Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs Friday, February 20, 2026

The US Supreme Court on Friday handed President Donald Trump one of the biggest losses of his second term, striking down his signature tariff plan. On today’s Big Take podcast, Sarah Holder talks to one of the people at the heart of the drama: Rick Woldenberg, the CEO of Learning Resources, a toy company that was a lead plaintiff in the case. And she unpacks the decision and its implications with Supreme Court reporter Greg Stohr and global trade editor Brendan Murray. The Big Take Asia followed Learning Resources throughout 2025 as it formulated its legal response to the new US tariffs and grappled with the challenges of shifting its supply chain from China to some lower-tariff neighbors. To hear more, listen to these Big Take Asia episodes: Tariffed: The Toymaker That Took on Trump Part One Tariffed: The Toymaker That Took on Trump Part Two Tariffed: The Toymaker That Took on Trump Part Three The American Toymaker Suing Trump Over Destructive Tariffs Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press and David Fox; Reported by Greg Stohr and Brendan Murray; Edited by Tracey Samuelson. Fact-checking by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Sixth Bureau Episode 3: Suck, Squeeze, Burn, Blow Friday, February 20, 2026

In Episode 3 of The Sixth Bureau, a series from The Big Take, we follow a spy from China’s Ministry of State Security to the Paris Air Show, and then watch him develop a valuable source, despite his bosses constantly getting in his way. The Sixth Bureau from Bloomberg News follows an MSS intelligence officer whose mission was to acquire the crown jewels of American aerospace companies. With aliases, blackmail and the occasional break-in, he targeted corporate giants. That is, until his sloppiness — and a cunning FBI sting — led to a stunning reversal: Xu Yanjun became the first Chinese intelligence officer ever convicted on American soil. The Sixth Bureau is the story of superpowers, their secrets and how one Chinese spy got caught. Listen to Episode 1 and 2 here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Trump’s Plan to Dismantle the Department of Education Thursday, February 19, 2026

The Department of Education has been a target of critics for decades. Republicans in the Oval Office have repeatedly tried to shrink the agency, and in his second term, President Trump has vowed to eliminate it altogether. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg education reporter Liam Knox and host David Gura talk through what it takes to gut a congressionally approved federal agency: what’s behind the Trump administration’s ‘creative’ efforts to scale back or move some of the Education Department’s trademark programs and what the shift could mean for students, lawmakers and other federal agencies in the administration’s crosshairs. Read more: How to Shred a Federal Agency Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Liam Knox; Edited by Tracey Samuelson. Fact-checking by Editorial team; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Race to Buy Real Estate in Mecca Wednesday, February 18, 2026

For the first time in history, Saudi Arabia is allowing international buyers to purchase property in Mecca. This regulatory shift has ignited a building boom, raising concerns over affordability and overdevelopment. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Zainab Fattah joins Sarah Holder to discuss what this property gold rush means for the city’s future and Saudi Arabia’s move away from oil. Read more: Saudi Arabia's MBS Opens Mecca Property Market in Investment Push Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Reported by Zainab Fattah; Edited by Tracey Samuelson. Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate and David Fox; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Where’s the Beef? Inside the Fragile Cattle Market Tuesday, February 17, 2026

Inflation in the US has cooled from pandemic peaks, but there’s a grocery product telling a different story: beef. The price of uncooked ground beef soared by the most since June 2020 in government data released Friday. The broad beef and veal category is up 15% over the past year as of January. On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg reporter Enda Curran takes a peek into the American consumer’s grocery basket with host David Gura to understand the perfect storm of factors that’s setting beef apart. And a fifth-generation Oklahoma rancher reflects on the impact that a fragile market has had on her family business. Read more: America’s Vanishing Cattle Herd Drives 15% Price Hikes for Beef US Cattle Herd Stays at 75-Year Low, Keeping Beef Prices High A Deadly Parasite’s Return Threatens US Ranchers Too Young to Remember It Hosted by David Gura; Produced by Rachael Lewis-Krisky and David Fox; Reported by Enda Curran, Ilena Peng; Edited by Aaron Edwards; Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate and David Fox; Engineering by Alex Sugiura; Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver; Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Sixth Bureau, Episode 1: Your Friend From Nanjing Friday, February 13, 2026

It’s an open secret that the Chinese government has engaged in a global campaign to acquire intellectual property from foreign rivals. At the center of that campaign is the Ministry of State Security, China’s elusive intelligence agency. The US has apprehended hundreds of people accused of giving information to the MSS, but the agency’s inner workings have been a mystery — until now. Today, we’re bringing you Episode 1 of The Sixth Bureau, a limited-run series from The Big Take. The series follows an MSS intelligence officer whose mission was to acquire the crown jewels of American aerospace companies. With aliases, blackmail and the occasional break-in, he targeted corporate giants. That is, until his sloppiness — and a cunning FBI sting — led to a stunning reversal: Xu Yanjun became the first Chinese intelligence officer ever convicted on American soil. The Sixth Bureau is the story of superpowers, their secrets and how one Chinese spy got caught. The limited-run series will publish on Fridays in The Big Take. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Sixth Bureau, Episode 2: The Spy’s Diary Friday, February 13, 2026

In Episode 2 of The Sixth Bureau, a limited-run series from The Big Take, we learn how China’s Ministry of State Security recruits experts in the West — and why intelligence officers shouldn’t keep their secrets backed up to the cloud.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Trump Accounts Promise Free Money. What's the Catch? Thursday, February 12, 2026

In July, American parents will be eligible to open Trump Accounts on behalf of their children. The administration touts these investment accounts as a way to help the next generation achieve the American dream. But are they the best way to save for college, home-ownership or retirement? And who stands to benefit most? On today’s Big Take podcast, Bloomberg’s Ben Steverman walks host Sarah Holder through the advantages — and criticisms — of this new program. Plus, economist Darrick Hamilton, whose federal “baby bonds” proposal inspired the Trump Accounts, weighs in on the immediate and long-term impacts the accounts could have on families and on the US economy. Read more: ‘Trump Accounts’ for Kids Get Another Billionaire Boost. What to Know. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by Julia Press; Reported by Ben Steverman; Edited by Tracey Samuelson. Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Alex Sugiura. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Finally, Some Good News on US Jobs Wednesday, February 11, 2026

The latest jobs report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics is a mixed bag. January’s numbers came in much stronger than expected — but revisions on 2025 data showed a weaker year than previously realized. The report comes on the heels of a number of high-profile job cut announcements, including at Amazon, the Washington Post and Nike. On today’s Big Take podcast, host Sarah Holder and Bloomberg US economy editor Molly Smith sift through the numbers and discuss the state of the labor market. Hosted by Sarah Holder; Produced by David Fox and Julia Press; Reported by Molly Smith Edited by Jeffrey Grocott. Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Denate, Rachael Lewis-Krisky; Engineering by Katie McMurran. Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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What Takaichi’s Landslide Election Win Means for Japan Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a historic election win, positioning her as the nation’s strongest leader in the postwar era. On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host Oanh Ha sits down with Bloomberg’s Sakura Murakami to discuss the reaction to Takaichi’s election gamble, her vision for a more assertive Japan and the uphill battle she faces to deliver her ambitious agenda. Read more: Takaichi Triumphs With Japan's Biggest Post-War Election Victory Further listening: All Eyes on Japan and China Tensions After Taiwan Hosted by K. Oanh Ha; Produced by Naomi Ng, Eleanor Harrison-Dengate and Yang Yang; Reported by Sakura Murakami; Edited by Paddy Hirsch;Fact-checking by Eleanor Harrison-Dengate; Engineering by Taka Yasuzawa and Alex Sugiura.Senior Producer: Naomi Shavin; Deputy Executive Producer: Julia Weaver. Executive Producer: Nicole Beemsterboer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.