Blackstone’s Steve Schwarzman & House Minority Leader Jeffries 12/18/25

Squawk Pod

CNBC

Business News, News, Investing, Business

4.2 • 543 Ratings

🗓️ 18 December 2025

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

President Trump defended his economic policies and outlined his agenda for the new year in a live address to the nation on Wednesday night. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) responds to President Trump’s comments and discusses the push to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies for three years. Steve Schwarzman, CEO and co-founder of the world’s largest alternative asset manager Blackstone, sits down with Becky Quick as the firm celebrates forty years in business. He shares his perspective on the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, AI, and the U.S. relationship with China. Plus, Trump Media announced a merger agreement with fusion power company TAE Technologies, Instacart shares are under pressure after an FTC probe into the company’s AI pricing, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries - 15:21 Steve Schwarzman - 26:28 In this episode: Hakeem Jeffries, @RepJeffries Michael Santoli, @michaelsantoli Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

Transcript

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0:00.0	Bring in show music, please.
0:03.0	This is Squawk Pod, and I'm CNBC producer Cameron Costa.
0:08.0	On today's episode, 40 years of Blackstone, the world's largest alternative asset manager is not slowing down, and neither is its CEO and co-founder, Steve Schwartzman. We never stop innovating.
0:22.6	We never stop pushing.
0:24.6	We always believe that we have smart competitors.
0:27.6	His view on the Federal Reserve's rate cut agenda and on China after four years of chilly relations.
0:35.6	Both China and the U.S. have looked at that and said we really have to lower the temperature.
0:40.3	This is not functional for us as countries or for the world.
0:45.3	On the Hill, the health care debate is heated.
0:48.3	Republicans breaking with the GOP, a push to vote on extending Obamacare subsidies, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries gets into it all.
0:58.0	We've got the votes to pass a straightforward extension and send it over to the Senate.
1:03.0	Mike Johnson needs to make sure we vote on this legislation today.
1:07.0	The House should not recess or adjourn until this issue has been dealt with.
1:13.3	Plus, our takeaways from President Trump's address, Trump media is merging with a fusion power
1:19.8	company, and middle school memes have made their way into business.
1:24.5	Do you even know what Six-seven means?
1:26.3	Well, apparently it kind of doesn't really mean much
1:28.0	doesn't mean anything. It's like very obscure origins. See, I thought 6-7 was like meth.
1:33.3	It's December 18th, 2025, and Squawk Pod begins right now. Stand Becky by in three, two, one,
1:41.9	cue, please. Good morning, everybody.
1:45.4	Welcome to Squackbox right here on CNBC.
1:47.9	We are live from the NASDAQ market site in Times Square.
	...

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