Kevin Dugan

2 months ago | wsj.com | Kevin Dugan

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker (Diana Walker/Getty Images)The Trump administration has claimed that the shock of tariffs will soon wear off and usher in an era of American prosperity. Economists warn that not all shocks have such endings. One that comes to mind is former Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker's sudden hike in interest rates in the early 1980s, which put the U.S. economy into a recession.

2 months ago | wsj.com | Kevin Dugan

Arnold Haro held up a single bullet to his cellphone camera, loaded it into his Smith & Wesson and spun the chamber. It was 3:28 p.m. on Feb. 21, and he was in his ranch home in an isolated corner of California. He seemed in distress, scratching his scalp, breathing heavily. “If I die, I hope you guys turn this into a meme coin,” he told his followers on X, where he was livestreaming.

Jan 23, 2025 | wsj.com | Kevin Dugan |Peter Grant

When Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass this month appointed Steven Soboroff, a former police commissioner and property developer, as the city’s chief recovery officer, his mission was clear: Rebuild the Pacific Palisades largely as it was before the fires ravaged the neighborhood. Upzoning and development would be discouraged. More safety plans would be put in. But her onetime political rival Rick Caruso had plans of his own.

Jan 17, 2025 | wsj.com | Ken Thomas |Kevin Dugan |Peter Rudegeair

WASHINGTON—Their work has been shrouded in secrecy, conducted on Signal and at SpaceX offices a few blocks from the White House. Team members have been dispatched to federal agencies to review them for cuts. And Elon Musk, their leader and the world’s richest man, continues to be at President-elect Donald Trump’s side.

Dec 27, 2024 | wsj.com | Kevin Dugan

Since the assassination of his top lieutenant Brian Thompson on Dec. 4, Andrew Witty has been keeping long, difficult hours at the Minnesota headquarters of the giant company he runs, UnitedHealth Group. Witty has been telling company executives during meetings and rank-and-file employees in videos that the work they do is important, lifesaving and deeply appreciated following the killing of Thompson, who had run the company’s health-insurance division.