Over the last few months U.S.-China trade relations have been pretty hard to make sense of – unless you look at what's happening through the lens of game theory. Game theory is all about how decisions are made, based not just on one side's options and payoffs, but on the choices and incentives of others.
So, are Donald Trump and Xi Jinping competing in a simple game of chicken? Or is the game more like the prisoner's dilemma? On today's show, we try to decide which of four possibilities might be the best model for this incredibly high-stakes game. And we take a look at who is playing well and who might need to adjust their strategy.
For more on the U.S.-China trade war:
- The 145% tariff already did its damage
- What happened to U.S. farmers during the last trade war
- What "Made in China" actually means
This show was hosted by Keith Romer and Amanda Aronczyk. It was produced by Sam Yellowhorse Kesler. It was edited by Jess Jiang, fact-checked by Sierra Juarez and engineered by Kwesi Lee with help from Robert Rodriguez and Cena Lofreddo. Additional production help from Sylvie Douglis. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.
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1A - The News Roundup For May 30, 2025
This week Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the U.S. will begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students.
Elon Musk isn't leaving Washington quietly. In an interview with CBS news Musk took aim at the tax bill making its way through Congress, saying it undermines the work he and DOGE undertook.
Israel's latest offensive in Gaza is drawing criticism from world leaders. This week officials in Germany, Italy, and Spain called for the Israeli military to cease its campaign against Palestinian civilians.
And King Charles opens his address to the Canadian parliament with comments on the nation's sovereignty saying "the true north is indeed strong and free."
We cover the week's most important stories during the News Roundup.
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Elon Musk isn't leaving Washington quietly. In an interview with CBS news Musk took aim at the tax bill making its way through Congress, saying it undermines the work he and DOGE undertook.
Israel's latest offensive in Gaza is drawing criticism from world leaders. This week officials in Germany, Italy, and Spain called for the Israeli military to cease its campaign against Palestinian civilians.
And King Charles opens his address to the Canadian parliament with comments on the nation's sovereignty saying "the true north is indeed strong and free."
We cover the week's most important stories during the News Roundup.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
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State of the World from NPR - Remembering a Ballet Legend in Russia; a Monkey Census in Nepal
Russians remember the longtime artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet, who died recently. Yuri Grigorovich held the position for the last three decades of the Soviet Union and staged productions that were wildly popular at home and projected soft power overseas.
And in Nepal, people have complained of monkey's stealing food from their property for years. Now, the government is holding its first-ever monkey census to understand exactly how bad the problem is.
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And in Nepal, people have complained of monkey's stealing food from their property for years. Now, the government is holding its first-ever monkey census to understand exactly how bad the problem is.
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Up First from NPR - Trump’s US Steel Reversal, Court Win For Harvard, Musk Leaves DOGE
US Steel is entering a multi-billion dollar partnership and Japanese competitor Nippon Steel. President Trump campaigned on a promise to block the deal. Now he says he approves it, so what changed? Harvard University for now can continue enrolling international students after a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction. And Elon Musk is leaving the Department of Government Efficiency, commonly referred to as DOGE.
Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today's episode of Up First was edited by Kelsey Snell, Lauren Migaki, Padma Rama, HJ Mai and Mohamad ElBardicy. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis and our technical director is Carleigh Strange. And our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.
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Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.
Today's episode of Up First was edited by Kelsey Snell, Lauren Migaki, Padma Rama, HJ Mai and Mohamad ElBardicy. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis and our technical director is Carleigh Strange. And our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.
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The Indicator from Planet Money - Let’s ‘TACO’ ’bout General Motors gassing up V-8s and golden shares
It's ... Indicators of the Week! Our weekly look at some of the most fascinating numbers from the news.
On today's episode, we examine: General Motors invests big in V-8s; U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel flirt with the Golden Share; Trump's tariffs just got more unpredictable.
Related episodes:
Dealmaker Don v. Tariff Man Trump (Apple / Spotify)
The tensions behind the sale of U.S. Steel (Apple / Spotify)
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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On today's episode, we examine: General Motors invests big in V-8s; U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel flirt with the Golden Share; Trump's tariffs just got more unpredictable.
Related episodes:
Dealmaker Don v. Tariff Man Trump (Apple / Spotify)
The tensions behind the sale of U.S. Steel (Apple / Spotify)
For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.
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NPR's Book of the Day - Two authors consider how being a daughter shaped their relationship to motherhood
New books by Joy Harjo and Ruthie Ackerman focus on very different moments in the life cycle of motherhood. First, Harjo's new book Washing My Mother's Body is an illustrated version of a poem she wrote in order to process grief. Harjo, the 23rd U.S. Poet Laureate and member of the Muscogee Nation, never got to carry out an important ritual after her mother's death – but returns in the poem to take care of things left undone. In today's episode, Harjo speaks with NPR's Leila Fadel about that ritual and the potency of the mother-daughter relationship. Then, journalist Ruthie Ackerman grew up hearing family stories that made her believe she shouldn't become a mom. But years later, she learned pieces of those stories weren't true. The Mother Code is a new memoir exploring Ackerman's indecision around becoming a parent. In today's episode, she speaks with NPR's Juana Summers about viewing maternal ambivalence as the norm.
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To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
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Short Wave - Why Daylight Boosts Immunity
Depending on what time it is, your body responds differently to an injury or infection. During the day, you're likely to heal faster and fight infection better than at night. And historically, scientists weren't entirely sure why. That picture is starting to clear up thanks to a new study published last week in the journal Science Immunology. The research finds a missing piece of the puzzle in neutrophils, powerful immune cells that — despite living less than 24 hours — know the difference between day and night.
Got a question about how the body works? Let us know at shortwave@npr.org.
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Got a question about how the body works? Let us know at shortwave@npr.org.
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Consider This from NPR - The CDC changed its COVID vaccine guidance. What does that mean for you?
When Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced new COVID recommendations this week, it raised questions among clinicians and patients:
Will those shots still be available to people who want them — and will insurance cover it?
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, about the CDC's new guidelines for healthy children and pregnant women — and whether they could make it more difficult for these patients to get shots if they want them.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
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Will those shots still be available to people who want them — and will insurance cover it?
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, about the CDC's new guidelines for healthy children and pregnant women — and whether they could make it more difficult for these patients to get shots if they want them.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
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State of the World from NPR - Why Germany’s Government Can Spy on a Political Party
Germany's biggest opposition political party, the nationalist and anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party, has been designated "extremist" by the country's domestic intelligence agency. That means the German government can tap party members' phones and hire informants to monitor them, in a measure meant to ensure that the party is not a threat to democracy. U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have both criticized this move. But it is something the German constitution allows and that constitution was shaped by the United States. Our correspondent in Germany looks into how and why this came about.
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1A - What’s Changed Since George Floyd Was Murdered By Police
It's been five years since widespread protests erupted after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd on May 25, 2020.
That murder, and the resulting national protests, led to numerous calls for police reform in communities around the country.
But the politics of policing have changed since 2024. Perceptions of crime and its relationship with immigration were central issues during the last presidential election, particularly for the Republican Party.
And now, the Trump administration says it's undoing recent federal efforts to supervise police reforms in certain cities.
We discuss where the end of those efforts leaves cities and police departments trying to be more accountable to those they're supposed to serve and protect.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
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That murder, and the resulting national protests, led to numerous calls for police reform in communities around the country.
But the politics of policing have changed since 2024. Perceptions of crime and its relationship with immigration were central issues during the last presidential election, particularly for the Republican Party.
And now, the Trump administration says it's undoing recent federal efforts to supervise police reforms in certain cities.
We discuss where the end of those efforts leaves cities and police departments trying to be more accountable to those they're supposed to serve and protect.
Want to support 1A? Give to your local public radio station and subscribe to this podcast. Have questions? Connect with us. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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