The Journal. - The Wall Street Journal & Spotify Studios

Latest Episodes:

Jared Kushner's Albania Headache: Flamingos, Contested Land and Cocaine Aug 11, 2026

Show notes

Jared Kushner has been planning to build ultraluxury resorts in Albania for years. But the multi-billion dollar project has run into a string of controversies. The development has triggered mass protests, calls for the Albanian prime minister to resign and a warning from the EU. On top of all that, WSJ’s Eliot Brown reports on a suspected gangster who sold Kushner and his partners a key piece of land. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- Americans Are Leaving the U.S. in Record Numbers

- The Crypto President: Part 1

- The Crypto President: Part 2

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Y Combinator CEO on How AI is Changing What Startups Build Aug 10, 2026

Show notes

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Garry Tan is the President and CEO of Y Combinator, a tech incubator that invests millions of dollars into new startups every year. Garry describes himself as “AI-pilled,” saying that he’s seen first-hand how the technology is transforming what startups can build. Ryan Knutson interviews Tan about how he remains optimistic despite AI’s risks, how AI is impacting the workforce and how we should all be having more parties.

Further Listening:

- The Vanishing of an Anti-AI Activist

- Chinese AI Is Spooking Silicon Valley

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Jersey Mike's Journey From the Shore to Wall Street Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

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Jersey Mike’s started as a small sub shop on the Jersey Shore when a 17-year-old stepped in with big ambitions. Along the way, the company grew to several thousand locations before private equity company Blackstone bought it for $8 billion and took it to Wall Street. But its IPO comes amid struggles in the restaurant industry. WSJ’s Heather Haddon and Mark Maurer on Jersey Mike’s origins and the hurdles it will have to jump through as a public company. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- Can Burger King Regain Its Crown?

- How Kraft Lost Its Mac and Cheese Crown

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Inside Trump's Fundraising Machine Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

Almost every night in the White House, President Donald Trump calls his fundraiser, Meredith O’Rourke, for an update. Together, they have raised more than $800 million since Trump’s second inauguration. WSJ’s Josh Dawsey and Dana Mattioli unspool their investigation into the president’s unprecedented fundraising and the political operative behind it. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- The Crypto President: Part 1

- The Crypto President: Part 2

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Robot Workers Are Here. Human Workers Are Fighting Back. Aug 05, 2026

Show notes

Tickets for our live show in New York are on sale now! Get yours here.

Early this year, Hyundai unveiled its newest employee: a humanoid robot named Atlas. Now, Hyundai’s unionized workers in South Korea are on a partial strike, arguing that humanoids shouldn’t join the assembly line without their approval. WSJ’s Tim Martin explains how the rest of the world is watching to see who wins the battle over the future. Ryan Knutson hosts.

Further Listening:

Move Over, Humans. China's Robots Are Taking Over

How 1 Million Robots Are Taking Over Amazon Warehouses

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How the ‘Nostradamus of AI’ Got It Wrong Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

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Leopold Aschenbrenner, age 24, was hailed as the ‘Nostradamus of AI.’ With that reputation, the wunderkind built a multi-billion dollar hedge fund called Situational Awareness, taking on an enormous amount of debt. WSJ’s Gregory Zuckerman explains how the fund crashed while Aschebrenner was preparing for his wedding. Ryan Knutson hosts.

Further Listening:

- Republican Megadonor Ken Griffin on Trump’s Economy

- Is the AI Boom… a Bubble?

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How Did Nancy Guthrie Vanish Without a Trace? Aug 03, 2026

Show notes

Six months after Savannah Guthrie's mother Nancy was kidnapped from her home in Tucson, Ariz., investigators have little to show beyond a trail of tragic missteps and bad luck. WSJ’s Valerie Bauerlein reports on how early errors, attention from amateur sleuths and public feuding have complicated the case. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- Camp Swamp Road

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Confessions of a Recovering Work Addict Aug 02, 2026

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Laura Mayer was born a tryhard, addicted to work. A quality that supercharged her career and earned her executive jobs at major media companies. But as Mayer writes in her new memoir, “Tryhard: A Cautionary Tale of Clocking In and Spinning Out,” being a tryhard comes with a cost. Jessica Mendoza hosts.
Further Listening:

- How an Influencer Built His Business, One Dog at a Time

- How to Keep Up with AI At Work (Without Losing Your Mind)

- The Data Is In On Work From Home

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The Vanishing of an Anti-AI Activist Jul 31, 2026

Show notes

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Sam Kirchner, the founder of an anti-AI protest group, was on a mission to stop AI’s development. Then he mysteriously disappeared. WSJ’s Zusha Ellinson takes us inside the growing anti-AI movement. As violent threats against AI companies are on the rise, the backlash has tech executives and employees fearing for their lives. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- Inside a Debate at OpenAI Over Mass Shootings

- The Killing Spree Tied to a Silicon Valley Intellectual Movement

- Artificial: The Open AI Story

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Peptides Are Everywhere. Businesses Are Cashing In. Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

Tickets for our live show in New York are on sale now! Get yours here.

Peptides are a huge part of the wellness craze that’s sweeping social media. Demand for restricted peptides has fueled an online gray market for injections promising youth, beauty and strength. Businesses are racing—and taking risks—to get in on the craze. WSJ's Sara Ashley O’Brien explores the burgeoning peptide market and how a recent FDA hearing could signal things are only just getting started. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:

- Trillion Dollar Shot

- The FDA Boss on the Agency's MAHA Makeover

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