Even when only talking about the economy, 2025 was a wild year. There was a newly inaugurated president who pursued a slew of policies that felt like they were ushering in a new economic order. There was an AI boom and growing questions whether we’re seeing a speculative bubble. And there were tons of subplots, from troubles in the crypto market to a global economic slowdown to an ongoing disconnect between core economic statistics and how people say they feel about the economy.
We know we can’t tell the whole story of this historic year in five podcast episodes, but the end of the year is a time for lists. So… Here are five Planet Money episodes that capture some of the bigger themes of the year.
John Lamparski/Getty Images
Days of our tariffs — It was the economic story of the year: tariffs (at least, that’s what I recently argued on The Indicator). After taking office, President Trump unveiled an aggressive tariff agenda that kept changing. The constant plot twists in tariff policy at times felt like we were watching a soap opera. So, we decided to do just that: create a tariff soap opera that teaches us how Trump’s tariffs may be affecting the economy. Listen here
Why I joined DOGE — We began 2025 with Elon Musk and The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) attempting to dramatically slash the size of the government. Much of the decision-making behind that effort was shrouded in secrecy, and we were curious what it was like to be on the inside. So Planet Money spoke to a former DOGE staffer to get the inside story. Listen here
The simple math of the big bill — President Donald Trump’s signature legislative accomplishment this year was signing into law “The One Big Beautiful Bill.” Planet Money dove into the math of that bill and how it exploded the deficit. Listen here
When Chinese manufacturing met Small Town, USA — Over the past decade, politicians from both political parties have tried to bring more manufacturing back to America. But when a multinational company tried to set up a battery factory in a small town in Michigan, a political firestorm broke out. Planet Money explores what happens when the global economy meets town hall democracy and NIMBYism. Listen here
The “chilling effect” of deportations — Back in January, it was clear that the Trump administration was about to aggressively crack down on immigrants this year. And Planet Money began the year reporting what some of the first ICE raids looked like on the ground, and we tried to get an understanding on what mass deportations could mean for the economy. Listen here
Stay tuned for more coverage of these wild times in 2026. Thanks for reading. And special thanks if you recommend the Planet Money newsletter to family or friends. It’s a great way for us to grow. Happy New Year!
Subscribe to Planet Money+ for bonus episodes with behind the scenes takes, extended interviews, and extra facts we couldn’t fit into the main show. Plus, it’s ad free. You’ll get The Indicator and Planet Money Summer School too - all while supporting our nerdy, ambitious journalism. Learn more at Plus.npr.org/PlanetMoney and start with a free 30-day trial by using the code "freemonth".
You received this message because you're subscribed to Planet Money emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002
