Juana Summers

We have seen them threatened, then delayed, then applied, then tweaked. And just setting aside the impact of the tariffs themselves for a moment, what is this kind of murkiness, this lack of clarity due to the economy?

We have seen them threatened, then delayed, then applied, then tweaked. And just setting aside the impact of the tariffs themselves for a moment, what is this kind of murkiness, this lack of clarity due to the economy?

We have seen them threatened, then delayed, then applied, then tweaked. And just setting aside the impact of the tariffs themselves for a moment, what is this kind of murkiness, this lack of clarity due to the economy?

And I would imagine similarly then for consumers, say, I want to buy a new house. I want to buy a new car, even a new computer. Similar effect. You're maybe going to sit and wait it out, right? Yeah.

And I would imagine similarly then for consumers, say, I want to buy a new house. I want to buy a new car, even a new computer. Similar effect. You're maybe going to sit and wait it out, right? Yeah.

And I would imagine similarly then for consumers, say, I want to buy a new house. I want to buy a new car, even a new computer. Similar effect. You're maybe going to sit and wait it out, right? Yeah.

Robert Rubin, who was the U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton, said that this is the moment of greatest uncertainty that he'd seen in his six-decade career. So I want to ask you, Nick Bloom, how does that square with your measurement of uncertainty? Similar?

Robert Rubin, who was the U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton, said that this is the moment of greatest uncertainty that he'd seen in his six-decade career. So I want to ask you, Nick Bloom, how does that square with your measurement of uncertainty? Similar?

Robert Rubin, who was the U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton, said that this is the moment of greatest uncertainty that he'd seen in his six-decade career. So I want to ask you, Nick Bloom, how does that square with your measurement of uncertainty? Similar?

I mean, you and I have been talking about tariff policy, but I'm curious, is it just that? Or are there other areas with sort of big, blaring question marks that could be worrying for businesses?

I mean, you and I have been talking about tariff policy, but I'm curious, is it just that? Or are there other areas with sort of big, blaring question marks that could be worrying for businesses?

I mean, you and I have been talking about tariff policy, but I'm curious, is it just that? Or are there other areas with sort of big, blaring question marks that could be worrying for businesses?

Back when he was candidate Trump, he promised tax cuts and less regulation. And we know that those are things that business owners usually see as good for them. And surveys showed a whole lot of optimism from executives about the economy under a Trump presidency. So let me ask you this. Does the good still outweigh the bad from the business's point of view?

Back when he was candidate Trump, he promised tax cuts and less regulation. And we know that those are things that business owners usually see as good for them. And surveys showed a whole lot of optimism from executives about the economy under a Trump presidency. So let me ask you this. Does the good still outweigh the bad from the business's point of view?

Back when he was candidate Trump, he promised tax cuts and less regulation. And we know that those are things that business owners usually see as good for them. And surveys showed a whole lot of optimism from executives about the economy under a Trump presidency. So let me ask you this. Does the good still outweigh the bad from the business's point of view?

That's Nick Bloom of Stanford University. Thank you.

That's Nick Bloom of Stanford University. Thank you.

That's Nick Bloom of Stanford University. Thank you.

This episode was produced by Connor Donovan. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. And the story of the business owner at the top of this episode came from reporting by NPR's Scott Horsley. Our executive producer is Sammy Annigan. It's Consider This from NPR. I'm Juana Summers.

This episode was produced by Connor Donovan. It was edited by Courtney Dorning. And the story of the business owner at the top of this episode came from reporting by NPR's Scott Horsley. Our executive producer is Sammy Annigan. It's Consider This from NPR. I'm Juana Summers.