
Each episode of Why It Matters breaks down an issue that is shaping our world’s future. Join host Gabrielle Sierra as she speaks with the leaders and thinkers who are facing these questions head on. Fueled by the minds at the Council on Foreign Relations, Why It Matters brings some of the world’s most compelling stories home to you.
Episodes

Wednesday May 21, 2025
Trade Agreements: Deal or No Deal
Wednesday May 21, 2025
Wednesday May 21, 2025
What role does the president have when it comes to making trade deals? In this episode, we dig into the expansive powers of the U.S. president when it comes to trade. From unilateral authority to congressional oversight, we unpack who truly calls the shots when the U.S. negotiates trade agreements.
This season, Why It Matters is taking you through the ins and outs of trade. In this episode, Why It Matters dissects the current state of U.S. trade agreements; what deals exist, which ones are under strain, and how President Donald Trump’s unconventional approach to trade negotiations is shifting the United States away from the norm.
Featured Guest:
Inu Manak (Fellow for trade policy at the Council on Foreign Relations)
For an episode transcript and show notes, visit us at https://www.cfr.org/podcasts/wim/trade-agreements-deal-or-no-deal