This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Matt Welch are joined by associate editor Liz Wolfe to sort through the political free-for-all surrounding the Warner Bros. and Netflix merger. They look at why Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D–Mass.) is urging regulators to block the deal, why President Donald Trump says he plans to get personally involved, and how Jared Kushner's role in a rival Paramount bid is reshaping the fight. The panel digs into whether this moment signals a real return to trustbusting or another round of theatrics from both sides.

The editors then turn to the economy, where Trump's tariff strategy is colliding with rising layoffs and growing unease within his own party. They assess the administration's new national security posture as Congress advances a defense bill that exceeds White House requests, and discuss the uproar over Kalshi's push to turn opinion into a tradable market. Also, a listener asks whether a renewed turn toward religious faith could help the country lower its political temperature.

It's that time of year when we ask you to open your wallets, dear listener, and make a tax-deductible donation to Reason's annual webathon: https://reason.pub/4pzsSOE.

0:00—Antitrust and the Netflix-Warner Bros. acquisition

19:17—Tariff failures and rising unemployment

27:43—National security strategy memo

36:50—Listener question on polarization and faith

48:13—Kalshi's controversial online gambling vision

58:33—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in This Podcast

"Warner Bros. Accepts Netflix's $83 Billion Bid, but Antitrust Threats Still Loom," by Jack Nicastro

"Trump's Tariffs Were Supposed To Cut the Trade Deficit and Boost U.S. Manufacturing. They're Not Working," by Eric Boehm

"Ask Us Anything: Libertarians Answer Your Questions," by Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Robby Soave, and Matt Welch

"Kalshi CEO Says He Wants to Monetize 'Any Difference in Opinion,'" by A.J. Dellinger

"America Pulls Back From Values That Once Defined It, WSJ-NORC Poll Finds," by Aaron Zitner

"CNN's Bari Christmas," by Dylan Byers

Upcoming Reason Events

Reason Versus debate: Big Tech Does More Good Than Harm, December 10

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post Why Elizabeth Warren and Donald Trump Hate the Netflix Deal appeared first on Reason.com.

It's that time of year when we ask you to open your wallets, dear listener, and make a tax-deductible donation to Reason's annual webathon: https://reason.pub/4pzsSOE.

In this special episode of The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Robby Soave, and Peter Suderman respond to all of your burning questions. Nothing is off limits!

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Audio Mixer: Ian Keyser

The post Ask Us Anything: Libertarians Answer Your Questions appeared first on Reason.com.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch dig into the disconnect between strong Black Friday spending and a public mood shaped by rising costs, economic anxiety, and slipping approval numbers for President Donald Trump. They explore why so many Americans feel poorer despite higher overall wealth, how regulation and subsidies have distorted key markets like housing and health care, and what to make of polling that shows young voters warming to democratic socialism.

The conversation then turns to the war crime allegations against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who allegedly gave the orders to "kill everybody" on Venezuelan boat strikes that resulted in the killing of survivors, and what limits actually exist on the use of military force. The editors also examine a new federal ban on hemp products and the damage it could inflict on a growing legal industry. A listener asks whether recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions signal a troubling erosion of constitutional protections, and the group takes time to reflect on the legacy of playwright Tom Stoppard and his long association with free speech and small government ideals.

Join us this Thursday, December 4, at 2:30 p.m. ET for a special live edition of The Reason Roundtable as part of our annual webathon. Send your questions for the Reason editors to [email protected] with "Webathon" in the subject line.

Watch at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaOOdtJqzmY

0:00—Economic anxiety and standards of living

18:45—War crime allegations against Hegseth

32:09—Federal hemp ban threatens industry

37:35—Listener question on ICE constitutionality

46:45—The legacy of Tom Stoppard

56:31—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in This Podcast

"Toplines - Heartland Nov 2025 Democratic Socialism," by Rasmussen Reports

"New Low in U.S. 'Very Satisfied' With Personal Life," by Gallup

"'Kill Everybody,'" by Christian Britschgi

"Trump's Venezuela Escalation Could Destroy MAGA, Warns Rand Paul," by Jacob R. Swartz

"What Does Fentanyl Have to Do With Alleged Drug Boats 2,600 Miles Away? Absolutely Nothing," by Tosin Akintola

"Trump Allegedly Misidentified a Colombian Fisherman as a Venezuelan 'Narcoterrorist,'" by Jacob Sullum

"The Constitution Does Not Allow the President To Unilaterally Blow Suspected Drug Smugglers to Smithereens," by Rand Paul

"They Built a Hemp Business in Good Faith but Washington Is About To Crush It," by Brittany E. Hunter

"Trump vs. the Constitution," by Damon Root

"5% of People Detained By ICE Have Violent Convictions, 73% No Convictions," by David J. Bier

"Hot August Fright: The Month Republicans Lost Their Minds Over Immigration," by Matt Welch

"How Lou Reed Inspired Anti-Communist Revolutionaries and the Rest of Us," by Matt Welch

"Václav Havel's Funeral: Why Truth Needs Love," by Matt Welch

Upcoming Reason Events

Reason Versus debate: Big Tech Does More Good Than Harm, December 10

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post Is Economic Anxiety Driving People to Socialism? appeared first on Reason.com.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie are joined by Reason senior editor Robby Soave to discuss President Donald Trump's unexpectedly warm White House meeting with New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and why he now describes the socialist's agenda as "practical." They examine what this moment suggests about Trump's shifting political instincts, how it fits with his recent comments on tariffs and the state of the economy, and what the disbanding of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) signals about his governing approach.

The group then looks at Trump's attempt to influence the pending Warner Bros. merger and the broader media landscape, including worries about misinformation and new reporting that major MAGA influencer accounts on X are operating from overseas. The panel also considers the implications of six Democrats telling service members they do not have to obey illegal orders and the ensuing backlash. A listener asks how to reconcile consumer benefits from intense market competition with the need to preserve incentives for long-term innovation and investment.

0:00—DOGE disbands

4:02—Trump meets Mamdani in the oval office

14:50—White House seeks influence over Warner Bros. merger

27:58—Red Scare, Oliva Nuzzi, and cancel culture

38:46—Listener question on preserving incentives in a market economy

51:29—Democrats encourage military not to follow illegal orders

57:49—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in This Podcast

"Republican Socialism," by Eric Boehm

"To the Socialists of All Parties," by Katherine Mangu-Ward

"A Dirge for DOGE," by Christian Britschgi

"How I Found Out: Part 1," by Ryan Lizza

"FDR's War Against the Press," by David T. Beito

"Mamdani Understands Something About Trump That European Leaders Don't," by Matthew Petti

Upcoming Reason Events

Reason Versus debate: Big Tech Does More Good Than Harm, December 10

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: Ian Keyser

The post Trump Embraces Mamdani Socialism as 'Practical' appeared first on Reason.com.

This week, editors Peter Suderman, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie are joined by Reason reporter Eric Boehm to unpack President Donald Trump's sudden shift on the Jeffrey Epstein files after trying to block the vote, the GOP pressure campaign behind it, and what the episode suggests about his grip on the party. They also examine Trump's mixed signals on tariffs, including his move to roll back duties he imposed in the first place, and whether this moment reinforces the basic economic arguments critics have made for years. The group also digs into whether Trump's proposed tariff dividend makes any economic sense.

The conversation then turns to rising tensions with Venezuela as unauthorized strikes continue and Trump signals interest in direct talks with Nicolás Maduro. A listener then asks what would need to change in order to push American health care away from government-run insurance and toward a system shaped by private plans.

0:00—The Epstein files fracture Trump's coalition

18:12—Tariff rollbacks and stimulus checks

36:17—Listener question on government healthcare

47:33—More unauthorized military strikes in Venezuela

56:54—Weekly cultural recommendations

Mentioned in This Podcast

"Trump's Epstein Reversal," by Liz Wolfe

"Jeffrey Epstein: Trump 'Spent Hours At My House' With Victim," by Matthew Petti

"State of U.S. Tariffs: October 30, 2025," by Yale Budget Lab

"Trump's Tariffs Are Likely To Make Toys More Expensive This Christmas Shopping Season," by Eric Boehm

"The Trump Administration Finally Admits That Tariffs Raise Prices," by Eric Boehm

"Tariff Stimulus Checks Are an Unserious Idea," by Eric Boehm

"Wanted: Honesty on Health Care," by Shikha Dalmia

"What Free Market Health Care Would Actually Look Like," by John Osterhoudt

"How Making GLP-1s Available Over the Counter Can Unlock Their Full Potential," by Jeffrey A. Singer

"Presidential Drift: Clinton's Haiti policy has no anchor," by Nick Gillespie

"Don't Send Cubans and Venezuelans Back To Suffer Under Communism," by Billy Binion

"Maduro and His Crony Made Millions While Venezuelan Children Starved," by César Báez

"Britain and Colombia Cut Off U.S. Intelligence Access Over Caribbean Boat Bombings," by Matthew Petti

Upcoming Reason Events

Reason Versus debate: Big Tech Does More Good Than Harm, December 10

• Producer: Paul Alexander
• Video Editor: John Osterhoudt

The post How the Epstein Files Turned MAGA Against Trump appeared first on Reason.com.