Squawk Pod: Sen. Warren on a credit card rate cap and affordability - 01/14/26 | Audio Only

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  January 14, 2026 at 19:15  |  38:23  |  CNBC
Speakers
Elizabeth Warren — US Senator
Andrew Ross Sorkin — Co-Anchor, Squawk Box
Joe Kernen — Co-Anchor, Squawk Box
Arthur Brooks — Harvard professor and Free Press columnist

Summary

On Squawk Pod, hosts discuss bank earnings and the political fight over a proposed 10% credit-card interest-rate cap, with Senator Elizabeth Warren explaining her call with President Trump and her push on credit-card rates and housing supply. The episode also covers Netflix's reported all-cash bid interest in Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount's competing bid, Iran protests, and Fed-independence comments. Harvard professor Arthur Brooks joins to discuss happiness, social media, and New Year's resolutions.

  • Trump's proposed 10% credit-card rate cap pressures bank and card-issuer sentiment.
  • Senator Warren says card issuers made $150 billion and can absorb lower rates.
  • Warren also pushes a Senate-passed housing-supply bill stuck in the House.
  • Netflix reportedly weighs an all-cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.
  • Paramount Skydance is pursuing a competing bid with financing questions.
  • Trump comments on Iran protests and Fed independence draw market attention.
  • Arthur Brooks discusses happiness, social media, and envy.
Ideas
Andrew Ross Sorkin Co-Anchor, Squawk Box 10:55
WBD money good on Netflix cash bid
In the Netflix/Warner Bros. Discovery/Paramount takeover contest, Sorkin argues that a Netflix all-cash bid around $72 would make Warner Bros. Discovery around $70 'money good' because of the collar on the stock, while Paramount's higher $77.9 billion bid is harder to underwrite given debt and bank financing. This frames WBD as a merger-arb setup with downside support if Netflix formalizes an all-cash offer.
WBD MED
Elizabeth Warren US Senator 18:53
Credit-card cap threatens issuer profits
Warren is pushing a 10% cap on credit-card interest rates and argues that large credit-card issuers can absorb it; the industry earned $150 billion in profits last year, and prior CFPB caps on overdraft and credit-card fees did not shut down the business. The policy push creates regulatory and profit risk for large credit-card issuers, with some of those profits potentially redirected to households.
Credit card issuers HIGH
Up Next
2:17
Saks Files for Bankruptcy
Bloomberg Markets · Jan 14
4:48
'Pretty weak' case for Fed rate cuts in the near-term, says JPMorgan's Michael Feroli
CNBC · Jan 14
4:30
Crude oil rally has more room to run, says Citi's Max Layton
CNBC · Jan 14
5:28
Current productivity uptrend can last for some time, says Laffer Tengler's Nancy Tengler
CNBC · Jan 14
1:08
California Attorney General launches investigation into xAI, Grok
CNBC · Jan 14

This CNBC video, published January 14, 2026, features Andrew Ross Sorkin, Elizabeth Warren discussing WBD, Credit card issuers. 2 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Andrew Ross Sorkin, Elizabeth Warren  · Tickers: WBD, Credit card issuers