Walter Isaacson & Business Roundtable CEO Josh Bolten 5/19/25

Squawk Pod

CNBC

Business News, Investing, Business, News

4 • 494 Ratings

🗓️ 19 May 2025

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The House Budget Committee advanced President Trump’s multi trillion-dollar domestic policy package Sunday night, just two days after conservatives voted to reject it. CNBC’s Eamon Javers reports on this and President Trump’s clash with Walmart over tariff-driven price hikes. Walter Isaacson, biographer and Tulane professor, discusses gene editing breakthroughs and biotech innovation amid federal funding cuts, as well as the White House’s relationship with corporate America’s leaders. Then, Business Roundtable CEO Josh Bolten weighs in on how CEOs are responding to Trump-era policies, including the President’s trade agenda. Plus, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has announced plans to acquire most of 23andMe’s assets for $256 million. Walter Issacson 18:22 Josh Bolten 28:39 In this episode: Eamon Javers, @EamonJavers Walter Isaacson, @WalterIsaacson Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Zach Vallese, @zachvallese

Transcript

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0:00.0	Bring in show music, please.
0:03.0	This is Squawk Pod from CNBC.
0:07.0	Here's what you need to know today.
0:10.0	Unpacking President Trump's relationship with America's CEOs.
0:14.0	First, with best-selling author and biographer Walter Isaacson.
0:19.0	I think you've got a transactional president.
0:21.0	It's interesting to see one that's pretty transparent.
0:24.6	And with the CEO of the Business Roundtable, Josh Bolton.
0:29.3	As high tariffs might be, equally damaging right now in the economy is the uncertainty about
0:35.8	where the costs are going to be highest and
0:40.3	it's freezing investment. Plus, today's headlines, including an update on the reconciliation
0:46.7	bill in D.C., a downgrade of U.S. credit, and that DNA you sent to 23 and me might end up in pharma.
0:56.0	I imagine that data is what Regeneron is effectively buying.
1:01.0	I'm CNBC producer Zach Velisi. It's Monday, May 19th, 2025.
1:07.0	Squawk pod begins right now.
1:10.0	Stand Becky by in three, two, one.
1:12.6	Kewa, please.
1:14.6	Good morning, everybody.
1:16.6	Welcome to Squawk Box right here on CNBC.
1:19.6	We're live from the NASDAQ market site in Times Square.
1:21.6	I'm Becky Quick, along with Andrew Ross Sork, and Joe is off today.
1:25.6	Now, the major averages are all coming off their best week
	...

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