Axios Re:Cap

Ben & Jerry’s is one of a number of companies that are pulling ads on Facebook and Instagram for the month of July — but the company will continue to post social justice messaging on social media platforms, even as it applies pressure to these companies to change several of its content policies. Dan digs in with Chris Miller, head of activism strategy at Ben & Jerry's.

Baseball players and owners have agreed to play a shortened season, but there's no guarantee games will actually happen. Dan discusses the prospects for the 2020 season with Boston Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy. Dan also talks to the CEO of grocery giant Albertsons, which went public today, and to Axios transportation reporter Joann Muller about Amazon’s latest announcement.

Axios Today is a weekday morning news show hosted by Niala Boodhoo. We’re sharing this morning’s episode. For years, some Democrats and Black leaders have called for reparations from the U.S. government for slavery. Axios business reporter Courtenay Brown says reparations may move faster in the private sector, where some corporations are trying to make amends. Plus, our new beer barometer tells us how much people are going out to bars and restaurants during the pandemic. And White House editor Margaret Talev tells us what to expect in the upcoming primaries after watching mayhem in Kentucky. Guests: Axios' Courtenay Brown, Hans Nichols, and Margaret Talev. Credits: "Axios Today" is produced in partnership with Pushkin Industries. The team includes Niala Boodhoo, Sara Kehaulani Goo, Carol Alderman, Cara Shillenn, Naomi Shavin, Nuria Marquez Martinez and Alex Sugiura. Music is composed by Evan Viola. You can reach us at [email protected].

In the midst of weeks of #BlackLivesMatter protests, lists of anti-racism books and black-owned bookstores went viral, part of well-intentioned efforts that culminated in a deluge of hundreds of thousands of orders for the same handful of titles. Dan and Danielle Mullen, founder of Semicolon Books in Chicago, discuss her experience as a bookseller who ended up on those lists.

A Justice Department official testified today that Attorney General Bill Barr abused his power by directing investigations of marijuana company mergers that were motivated by a personal dislike of the industry. Dan is joined by Teddy Scott, who led one of the companies cited in the complaint, to discuss what Scott knew about the investigation and when.

Dr. Anthony Fauci is optimistic that there will be a coronavirus vaccine by early 2021, but determining who will get it first will be complicated. Dan discusses what happens once we have a vaccine with Dr. Zeke Emanuel, former White House health policy adviser and chair of the department of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania.

Two new studies show that projections for a rise in poverty this year didn’t happen because of the federal stimulus. Andrew Yang joins Dan to discuss if the stimulus can be seen as a test run for universal basic income, Yang’s signature campaign policy proposal, and his conversations with Joe Biden about the idea.

As companies declare Juneteenth a corporate holiday, but fail to promote black workers to their own C-suites, Bloomberg Businessweek’s cover story asks, “Is it time for racial quotas?” Dan is joined by Businessweek’s Rebecca Greenfield, author of the cover story, who makes the argument that existing efforts to improve racial equity and representation haven’t worked.

The Supreme Court ruled today to uphold DACA, the Obama-era program that protected nearly 650,000 unauthorized immigrants from deportation — but there are still unknowns ahead for DREAMers and their employers, because this isn’t a permanent solution to their immigration status. Dan is joined by Jeff Davidson, a lawyer who argued this case before the Ninth Circuit.

The federal government has lent out more than half a trillion dollars to small businesses impacted by COVID-19, but there’s no way of knowing who received one and who didn’t, unless a business discloses that it received one. Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle are calling for greater transparency, including Representative Jennifer Wexton, who joins Dan to discuss a letter she sent today to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Seattle, an early coronavirus hotspot, is trying to reopen its economy, while continuing to deal with protests that have resulted in the creation of a so-called “autonomous zone” where police no longer go. Dan digs in with Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan about what comes next for her city.

NBA players are trying to balance a return to the court with their efforts to improve racial justice and equality, and not everyone agrees on the best course forward. Dan digs in with former NBA star Jalen Rose, a co-founder with LeBron James of a new voting rights group called More Than A Vote.

Each weekday afternoon starting June 15, Axios business editor Dan Primack unpacks the biggest story of the day and why it matters.

Dan and Axios' Mike Allen dig into the relationship between Silicon Valley and Washington D.C., ahead of the November election. Plus, a very important announcement. PLUS: The PPP gets extended and Google gets sued by its incognito users

Across the country, Americans are bearing witness to a painful moment in our history, with thousands showing up day after day to protest, even in the midst of a pandemic. Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch, the founding director of the Museum of African American History and Culture, joins Dan to analyze the present moment and how we may understand it when we look back someday. PLUS: Facebook faces off with employees and some surprisingly good news on jobs

The role of social media platforms in moderating user content has been in the spotlight as President Trump clashes with Twitter and Facebook deals with employee walkouts over the platform’s policy. Dan is joined by former Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary for policy Stewart Baker to discuss the policy at the center of this debate. PLUS: The business of tear gas and a possible COVID-19 treatment

After a weekend of protests in cities across the U.S., in the midst of states beginning to reopen their economies, there are concerns that there could be a surge of coronavirus infections in the coming weeks. Axios heath care editor Sam Baker joins Dan to discuss what we know now about coronavirus and what we should anticipate. PLUS: The new problem for an Uber-Grubhub marriage and making sense of senseless stock markets

As companies adapt their policies around remote work and, in some cases, embrace remote work permanently, there could be consequences for super star cities — places like New York and San Francisco that companies long incentivized their employees to relocate to. Dan and Axios cities correspondent Kim Hart delve into the long-term impacts that a shift towards remote work could have for these places. PLUS: The Trump Twitter feud escalates and a Big Tech CEO departure

President Trump is escalating his response to Twitter’s fact check of his recent tweets. Axios obtained a copy of a draft executive order that would target social media platforms’ legal protections — but ultimately, may not actually change very much. Axios technology reporter Margaret Harding McGill joins Dan to dig into this developing story. PLUS: The economic data we aren’t getting and why Fraggle Rock matters in 2020

This week, Twitter has come under fire for allowing President Trump to tweet about a conspiracy theory, only to come under fire from Trump himself for fact checking another set of his tweets about mail-in voting. Kara Swisher of the New York Times joins Dan to dig into Trump’s misuse of the platform and Twitter’s steps — and missteps — in handling it. PLUS: Amazon’s next big acquisition and hackers target coronavirus research

SpaceX is set to send a crew into space on Wednesday, ushering in a new era in space exploration: privately-funded space travel. Dan is joined by Axios space reporter Miriam Kramer to discuss the new economy of space travel, the future of NASA, and the political ramifications of launching astronauts from U.S. soil for the first time in almost a decade. PLUS: Why Hertz went broke and what a major music label can tell us about the pandemic

The revelation of fraud at Luckin Coffee has raised questions about the financial transparency offered by Chinese companies when they list shares on U.S. exchanges. Dan is joined by Hong Kong-based New York Times business correspondent Alexandra Stevenson to discuss what the fallout from Luckin Coffee’s scandal could mean for Chinese companies trying to list on U.S. stock exchanges and for American investors in Chinese companies. PLUS: Silicon Valley rolls out contact tracing and the end of Memorial Day Weekend traffic

Uber and Grubhub continue to haggle over the terms of a possible merger, but Senator Amy Klobuchar has already expressed concern that it would hurt competition and raise prices for customers if it happens. Senator Klobuchar joins Dan to talk about that deal, Facebook buying Giphy, and how to handle mergers during the pandemic more broadly. PLUS: Podcasting gets its Howard Stern moment and big questions about that Moderna vaccine

Hospitals have been at surge capacity to treat COVID-19 patients — but they’ve taken a hit due to the massive drop off in elective surgeries and procedures. Specialists’ offices have been hit especially hard. Dan is joined by Axios healthcare business reporter Bob Herman to discuss the challenges ahead as healthcare tries to rebound. PLUS: Restaurants ask for more time and what Disney just lost to Tik Tok

J.C. Penney is the latest large retailer to file for bankruptcy, raising the question: as mall stores flail in the wake of plummeting retail sales, how much of this retail upheaval was inevitable, and how much can be explained by coronavirus? Dan digs into this question with Fortune senior reporter Phil Wahba. PLUS: Democrats slam Uber’s attempts to buy Grubhub and Facebook gets a pass on its deal for Giphy.

According to research from the JPMorgan Chase Institute, prior to the coronavirus pandemic, small businesses in the U.S. had an average of less than 15 cash buffer days. Director of business research for the JPMorgan Chase Institute Chris Wheat joins Dan to shift through the data and determine how healthy America’s small businesses were before the coronavirus struck. PLUS: Private equity goes to court and the year’s biggest retail bankruptcy

Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman’s new streaming platform Quibi failed to meet incredibly high launch expectations — it recently shared it has 1.3 million active users, way below expectations they set for 7 million users. Dan and Axios media reporter Sara Fischer discuss what went wrong for Quibi and how much of it can and cannot be blamed on coronavirus. PLUS: Uber eyes a big acquisition and California officials try to make nice with Tesla

Weather forecasts draw on data collected by commercial aircraft, and the sudden drop in passenger flights may be impacting meteorology as we head into hurricane season. Washington Post deputy weather editor Andrew Freedman joins Dan to dig into the drop in data and what it could mean for weather forecasting. PLUS: Congressional Democrats prepare to unveil the next stimulus and how Americans are the next hurdle to reopening America

California announced that manufacturing could resume in the state, but Alameda County has issued stay-at-home orders that run through the end of May. This impacts Tesla’s Fremont factory, and the company filed suit against the county to reopen. Dan is joined by TechCrunch senior reporter and editor Kristen Korosec to discuss Elon Musk’s strategy and the implications of this lawsuit. PLUS: The presidential betting market and why this Thursday matters for pandemic-impaired

Between a new postmaster general and an ad blitz by Amazon, CVS and others aimed at rebutting President Trump’s comments that USPS should raise prices, the postal service couldn’t stay out of the news this week. Dan is joined by Washington Post reporter Lisa Rein to unpack a wild week for the beleaguered agency. PLUS: The worst jobs report in U.S. history and the future of offices

Legal Seafoods is one of dozens of companies around the country arguing that COVID-19 has interrupted cash flow to businesses and should be covered by business interruption insurance. Dan is joined by Legal Seafoods CEO Roger Berkowitz to discuss the steps he’s taking to keep his restaurant afloat and how he plans to eventually reopen. PLUS: The supreme court takes up robocalls and the next big question for small business bailouts

A federal judge dismissed the central claim of unequal pay in the lawsuit filed by the U.S. women’s national soccer team against the U.S. Soccer Federation. But the players, including Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, have vowed to appeal. Dan is joined by Axios sports editor Kendall Baker to dig into this lawsuit and the ramifications of this ruling. PLUS: WeWork’s former CEO files suit and COVID death counts become partisan

Hurricane season starts June 1, and according to reporting from Axios national political reporter Jonathan Swan, FEMA is drafting guidance for how to respond to natural disasters and related emergencies in the midst of coronavirus. Dan is joined by Jonathan Swan to discuss what America could face this hurricane season. PLUS: Amazon’s big loss and the first of what could become a wave of retail bankruptcies

The coffers of the PPP program have been replenished with $310 billion, $60 billion which has been allocated to small lenders and community banks, but problems with the program persist. Axios’ markets editor Dion Rabouin and Dan debate whether the program works as intended, where more guidance is needed, and whether this round of funding will help businesses that need the money most. PLUS: Zoom’s newest headache and a Philadelphia icon heads to Silicon Valley

Meat processing plants, which were slow to institute effective protective measures for employees, have started to close amid mass cases of worker illness. Then yesterday President Trump signed an executive order that would reopen them. Dan is joined by Washington Post business of food reporter Laura Reiley to examine the state of our meat supply chain. PLUS: Jay-Z vs. artificial intelligence and Belgium asks its citizens for the best sort of solidarity

With states facing their worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested that he favors states declaring bankruptcy over additional federal aid. Dan is joined by The Atlantic’s David Frum to discuss why creating a bankruptcy process for states appeals to the Republican party. PLUS: Cannabis in the age of coronavirus and smartphone makers feel the pain

States that are starting to reopen parts of their economies are starting from different places. Decisions about whether companies were essential in the first place were made on a state-by-state basis and stores that are closed in one state were open in another. Dan and Axios’ markets reporter Courtenay Brown dig into the questions of who is essential and how that’s being determined. PLUS: Who is excluded from part two of the small business loan program and Google searches in the age of COVID-19

This week brought 4.4 million unemployment claims, a drop from recent weeks, but still a dire sign for the economy and for working Americans. Dan and New York Times tax and economics reporter Jim Tankersley dig into the latest numbers, the funding small businesses still need to protect jobs and hire back employees, and the layoffs that may still be ahead as this crisis drags out. PLUS: A big battle over abandoned mergers and robot dogs join the fight against COVID-19

Last week, Instagram founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger launched Rt.live, which tracks the infection rate of COVID-19 in each state. Dan is joined by Kevin Systrom, who discusses what Rt.live can tell us as we navigate the crisis and shares his thoughts on how Silicon Valley has stepped up to offer funding, tools and leadership in the pandemic. PLUS: The small business loan pool gets refilled and Facebook buys big into India

Oil prices suddenly went negative Monday evening, a sign that oil supply is outpacing demand as travel by planes and cars dramatically decreases — but the historic nature of this price drop also speaks volumes to the volatility that coronavirus is introducing to so many markets. Dan is joined by Axios energy reporter Ben Geman to discuss what this means for the oil industry. PLUS: Facebook blocks COVID truther protests and the next big problem with health care

Shake Shack on Monday announced it would give back the $10 million it received via the Paycheck Protection Program, in the midst of circulating criticisms of the program’s application process and how it distributed funds before it ran out. Dan is joined by Shake Shack founder and chairman Danny Meyer to discuss the company's decision, the state of restaurants, and how the next phase of PPP should be structured. PLUS: Why Dropbox paid people to hack Zoom and Silicon Valley tracks COVID-19

A handful of countries in Europe are attempting to reopen parts of their economies, and the rest of the world is watching for signs of success and strategies that can be emulated — but also for secondary outbreaks. Axios world editor Dave Lawler joins Dan to analyze these plans and we may start to see. PLUS: Silicon Valley slows down and the end of middle seats on airplanes.

Forbes just released its Midas list, which ranks the top venture capitalists around the world each year. Dan and Forbes senior editor Alex Konrad dig into the list and discuss what VC investments mean at a moment when companies in nearly every sector are struggling in the face of the coronavirus crisis. PLUS: The small business loans program is out of money and Facebook takes a giant step towards fighting coronavirus misinformation.

Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Ro Khanna have released a proposal for a bill of rights for essential workers that covers protective equipment, premium pay, universal paid sick leave, health care coverage, child care, and more. Rep. Khanna joins Dan to discuss the proposal’s scope, what it aims to accomplish, and who would benefit. PLUS: Zoom’s new security problem and corporate America gets a return-to-work reality check

States, cities and towns around the country rely on sales taxes, and they are facing an unprecedented drop in tax revenue. Dan is joined by Axios politics reporter Stef Kight to talk about their reporting on what happens if governments on the state and local level start to go bankrupt. PLUS: Big Tech fills the testing vacuum and Elizabeth Warren’s bill of rights for essential workers

Hydroxychloroquine has evolved from a sleepy anti-malaria drug into a partisan litmus test over the future of COVID-19 treatment. Dan and Axios healthcare reporter Bob Herman dig into what we know about the drug, what we still don't, and why both matter. PLUS: New money for small businesses and a way to help New York medical workers

Jack Dorsey, Bill Gates, and other billionaires are pledging money to address the coronavirus crisis, raising a question: as billionaires do good, are they perpetuating a system that relies on their power and influence? Recode’s senior reporter on money and influence Teddy Schleifer joins Dan to discuss. PLUS: Staples stiffs its landlords and Passover via Zoom

The U.S. will not be able to reopen as quickly as it closed without ensuring another wave of coronavirus outbreaks. Dan and Axios chief financial correspondent Felix Salmon discuss what it will take to safely reopen the American economy and how far off that may be. PLUS: WeWork sues SoftBank and Airbnb buys a buffer

Oil prices have cratered, due to reduced demand and a dispute between Russia and Saudi Arabia, threatening one of America's largest industries. Dan digs in with Axios energy reporters Amy Harder and Ben Gemen. PLUS: ER docs get pay cuts and the launch of Quibi.

American small businesses soon will be able to get government loans to keep people employed, but many startups will be left out because of an old rule that the CARES Act didn't address. Dan is joined by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), who's working with Nancy Pelosi and others to get this changed. PLUS: Zoom grows up and a random act of kindness