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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2025
9/25/2025 4:00:00 PMShare This Episode
The Bean at the Center of the Trade War
貿易戦争の中心にある大豆
It's officially harvest season in the American heartland. But sixth-generation Iowa farmer Scott Dierickx says he won’t be making a profit on soybeans this year. WSJ’s Patrick Thomas explains how China is using soybeans as a weapon in the trade war with the United States. Ryan Knutson hosts.
- at the center of ~ /æt ðə ˈsɛntər əv/ ～の中心に、～の核心に
- trade war /treɪd wɔːr/ 貿易戦争
- officially harvest season /əˈfɪʃəli ˈhɑːrvɪst ˈsiːzən/ 正式に収穫期
- American heartland /əˈmɛrɪkən ˈhɑːrtlænd/ アメリカ中西部（農業が盛んな地域を指す）
- sixth-generation /sɪksθ ˌdʒɛnəˈreɪʃən/ 6代目の
- Iowa farmer /ˈaɪoʊə ˈfɑːrmər/ アイオワ州の農家
- soybeans /ˈsɔɪbiːnz/ 大豆
- making a profit /ˈmeɪkɪŋ ə ˈprɒfɪt/ 利益を出す
- using ~ as a weapon /ˈjuːzɪŋ əz ə ˈwɛpən/ ～を武器として使う
Ryan Knutson: Scott Dierickx is a sixth-generation family farmer in Iowa. One of his primary crops is soybeans, and for most of his life, it hasn't been hard to sell them.
Scott Dierickx: One really fond memory I have growing up is riding with my father early in the morning in a semi.
Ryan Knutson: He remembers being a kid and loading soybeans onto a semi truck with his dad driving down to the Mississippi River where they'd put them onto a barge.
Scott Dierickx: We'd leave four o'clock in the morning before the sun came up. We'd drive into town, we'd park, we'd get in line before they were even open, and we'd stand on the Mississippi River and we'd see the tugboats out there. We'd hear the horns and we'd see the barges that were getting ready to fill, and it wouldn't be just one barge, it'd be multiple barges tied together. They'd go down the Mississippi out to the Gulf of Mexico, and then they'd be exported all around the world.
- sixth-generation family farmer /sɪksθ ˌdʒɛnəˈreɪʃən ˈfæməli ˈfɑːrmər/ 6代続く家族農家
- primary crop /ˈpraɪmɛri krɑːp/ 主要作物
- fond memory /fɑnd ˈmɛməri/ 大切な思い出、懐かしい記憶
- semi (truck) /ˈsɛmaɪ/ セミトレーラー（大型トラックの一種、米国では "semi" と略す）
- barge /bɑrdʒ/ 平底船、バージ船（貨物輸送用の大型船）
- tugboat /ˈtʌɡˌboʊt/ タグボート、曳船（バージを引っ張る小型船）
- horns /hɔrnz/ 船の汽笛
- tied together /taɪd təˈɡɛðər/ 縛り合わせられた、連結された
- Gulf of Mexico /ɡʌlf əv ˈmɛksɪˌkoʊ/ メキシコ
Ryan Knutson: Most of them were bound for one place, China. China is the world's biggest soy importer by a huge margin. Nearly a quarter of the soybeans grown in America end up there, but this year, American soybean farmers have a big problem. China isn't buying US soybeans, as in none at all. How important are soybeans to your family and your history's livelihood?
Scott Dierickx: They're extremely important. It is going to be a challenge that the farm's not going to produce any profit for my family this year.
Ryan Knutson: China is using soybeans as a powerful point of leverage in the trade war with the US. Now as harvest season begins, the clock is ticking and farmers like Scott hope a solution will come soon.
Scott Dierickx: I'm hoping it's short-term pain for long-term gain, but ultimately though, I really hope that we can all come to agreement that makes trade between different countries easy and easier, and that's going to be probably most beneficial for all parties involved, but right now, it's tough.
Ryan Knutson: Welcome to The Journal, our show about money, business and power. I'm Ryan Knutson, it's Thursday, September 25th. Coming up on the show, how American farmers became a trade war bargaining chip.
On American Farms, corn is king, but soybeans are a close second.
Patrick Thomas: So corn and soybeans basically rule the American farm. They're number one and number two.
Ryan Knutson: That's our colleague Patrick Thomas. He writes about agriculture. I think most people are very familiar with what a corn field looks like, but can you describe what a soybean field looks like?
Patrick Thomas: If you drive down an interstate in the Midwest, you'll see around knee-high, just fields of green, and those are soybean plants and you may not notice them as much. They're just not as tall and imposing as the corn field, but they're all over the place. I think it's 80 to 85 million acres of soybeans are planted every year, and for context, corn is about 90 to 95.
Ryan Knutson: Okay, so they're pretty close.
Patrick Thomas: They're pretty close.
Ryan Knutson: And in the fall we still have corn mazes, but I haven't heard about any soybean mazes yet.
Patrick Thomas: That would be difficult because you can see over the soybeans, so you have to have really young children.
- corn maze /kɔrn meɪz/ トウモロコシ迷路（秋のアトラクション）
- soybean maze /ˈsɔɪbiːn meɪz/ 大豆迷路（小規模な迷路）
Ryan Knutson: That sounds like it would be a lot easier and a lot less scary. So maybe we should introduce it. Soybeans look like any other bean. Unlike corn though, most people don't really eat soybeans straight up. They're used to make foods like tofu and soy milk. They're also crushed and turned into vegetable oil, which makes its way into nearly every type of processed food. They're even used in some diesel fuels.
Patrick Thomas: Soybeans are really like a hidden gem out there in terms of what we use it for. In the same way that corn is found in a number of different things that we wouldn't expect, like foods and ketchup and stuff, soybean is kind of the same thing. It's an ingredient in a number of different products.
- hidden gem /ˈhɪdən ʤɛm/ 隠れた宝石、意外に価値のあるもの
Ryan Knutson: But the biggest consumer of soybeans actually isn't people. It's livestock.
Patrick Thomas: A lot of it goes to livestock. Feed feeds the animals, which feeds our diet for meat and protein. Think of America's growth of chicken and chicken nuggets and just the American fast food diet of everything that goes into all of the meat we consume for our protein-rich diets. That fueled the soybean growth in America.
Ryan Knutson: Over the last few decades, demand for soybeans is skyrocketed, especially in China where a growing middle class has developed an appetite for things like chicken and pork. Why doesn't China grow their own soybeans?
Patrick Thomas: For a number of different reasons, China has struggled growing their own soybeans. Some of it comes down to climate, the farming economics in the country. There's kind of a number of different reasons why they're not very good at growing soybeans, and they've tried a number of different ways over the years, but they rely on importing beans. In the US can grow a lot of beans. We have some of the best soil in the world in Iowa and northern Illinois and places like that, and that means that China started buying from the US.
Ryan Knutson: Throughout the '90s and early 2000s, US farmers switched to growing soybeans to meet the huge demand coming from China and the agricultural industry started building up the infrastructure to get it there.
Patrick Thomas: They built up ports in the Pacific Northwest creating all sorts of jobs and business to farms in the Dakotas, like North Dakota became a big soybean growing state. Minnesota, all of these places started shipping via rail out to the ports and we'd sent it to China and it became a booming business for 20 some years and really was boom to many farmers.
- shipping via rail /ˈʃɪpɪŋ ˈvaɪə reɪl/
鉄道輸送で出荷する
Ryan Knutson: But that started to change during President Trump's first term in office after Trump implemented tariffs on Chinese goods.
Video: This is the first of many. This is number one, but this is the first of many.
Ryan Knutson: Trump has set his goal with tariffs is to revive US manufacturing, cut the US trade deficit, and help reduce the national debt.
Patrick Thomas: China responds by not buying US soybeans for a short period of time. It hurt prices. It bled to almost $30 billion in losses for American farmers at that time, and the other big event, this is the second big thing that occurred during that was it told the Chinese during Trump's first term that they couldn't rely on America as a reliable soybean supplier or that they needed to diversify, and so during that time, China decided, "Hey, we're going to spend a lot of money on improving the infrastructure in South America, so we're not caught at the bargaining table with Trump again over soybeans."
Ryan Knutson: Since then, China has invested heavily in Brazilian ports, railroads and silos to make it easier for them to access the soybeans there. Last year, Brazil provided 70% of China's soy imports, double the share from 15 years ago. At the same time, China has slowly been stockpiling soy and they've been actively trying to change the diet of their livestock to include less soy overall. So when Trump returned to office for a second time.
Video: We're talking about a tariff of 10% on China. We're putting a 50% tariff on above the tariffs that we put on. There will be 104% tariffs going into effect on China tonight at midnight.
Ryan Knutson: China was prepared.
Patrick Thomas: They take retaliatory measures, their retaliatory measures this far includes we're not going to buy your soybeans.
Ryan Knutson: China has been using other products to pressure the US as well, like withholding the rare earth minerals that are used in manufacturing cars, electronics, and defense equipment, but for farmers, as the soybean harvest begins, time for a trade deal with China is running out.
Patrick Thomas: It wasn't going to be until we brought in the crop that this was really going to come home to roost, and so now here in the next two months, this is when we really start to feel the effects of the trade war from six months ago that we talked about. This is when it comes in for the farmer. We're reaching that point. China has so far, they haven't booked a single purchase from the US for this harvest for soybeans.
- come home to roost /kʌm hoʊm tə ruːst/ （悪い行為・状況などの）報いが自分に降りかかる
- harvest /ˈhɑrvɪst/ 収穫、作物の収穫期
- trade war /treɪd wɔr/ 貿易戦争
- booked a purchase /bʊkt ə ˈpɜrʧəs/ （事前に）購入を予約する、契約する
- for this harvest /fɔr ðɪs ˈhɑrvɪst/ 今回の収穫に関して
Ryan Knutson: Wow, it's not like it's just gone down. It's actually gone to zero.
Patrick Thomas: It has gone to zero. At this current moment of taping, it is zero.
Ryan Knutson: China also knows that American farmers make up a key faction of Trump's political base.
Patrick Thomas: The Chinese in order to in this trade war get at the president can hurt some of his most loyal supporters, and that's what a lot of this comes down to and right now it's working for them.
- make up a key faction /meɪk ʌp ə ki ˈfækʃən/ 重要な勢力・派閥を構成する
- get at the president /ɡɛt æt ðə ˈprɛzɪdənt/ 大統領に打撃を与える、攻撃する
->get at someone は口語的に「攻撃する」「打撃を与える」 - comes down to /kʌmz daʊn tə/ 結局のところ～に尽きる、要点は～である
Ryan Knutson: Farmers like Scott are feeling the pain.
Scott Dierickx: It's tough to be in the middle.
Ryan Knutson: How Scott is planning to navigate this harvest season is after the break.
So far, it doesn't look like Scott Dierickx is going to make any profit this year from his soybeans.
Scott Dierickx: This year, comparing it to my eight years of farming, it's going to be the lowest profit per acre year, at least I'm forecasting
Ryan Knutson: At the same time that China has stopped buying soybeans from the US, the Department of Agriculture expects farmers to have one of the largest harvests in history thanks to advances in farming technology, and when demand is down and supply is up, that can only mean one thing.
Scott Dierickx: Prices are falling and recently they've fallen drastically. So the futures price of soybeans is slightly over $10, but my local buyers are only bidding $9 and 30 cents a bushel.
Ryan Knutson: And how much would they normally bid in prior years when the market was more healthy?
Scott Dierickx: A couple of years ago, beans were in the teens was a common phrase. Beans are in the teens and that was exciting. That's money to be made in farming. So going from $13 down to 9.30, it's pretty significant.
Ryan Knutson: So what are you going to do if you don't get more orders? Are you going to have a bunch of leftover soybeans?
Scott Dierickx: That's going to be the problem that I'm going to face as well as a lot of farmers are going to face. So I'm going to be harvesting my soybeans soon and I don't have any on-site storage such as grain bins that I can pick it when it's ready, store it and wait for the prices to go up so I can ensure profitability. So I'm going to have to make the decision of selling at a lower price. Maybe decide that farming was a hobby this year, not a business.
Ryan Knutson: If you don't end up selling everything, what happens to the soybeans? You don't have a grain mill. Would you just have to dump them in the garbage basically?
Scott Dierickx: Correct. If I don't sell it, I don't have any place to store it, so it'd be a waste because it is a perishable item.
Ryan Knutson: What is this going to mean for your family and your farm economically to have farming as you said, kind of become just a hobby this year and not really bringing any money?
Scott Dierickx: Well, it'll bring up the conversations on why are we spending our time doing something that isn't making our family money?
Ryan Knutson: Scott already doesn't make enough money farming to make a living. He's always held another job, but he says that as a sixth-generation farmer, he doesn't ever want to give it up. Still, he worries what all this could mean for future generations.
Scott Dierickx: I do see it continuing to be a challenge, not just for my generation, but for the next and there's a lot of responsibility that I feel to carry on this tradition and make it successful and continue to build upon what previous generations have done.
Ryan Knutson: Has this changed at all how you feel about President Trump?
Scott Dierickx: I'm hopeful that he makes this a priority to help out soybean farmers as well as people in the industry impacted by it. I see him as being a cheerleader for the US, going out to other countries and helping promote why they should be doing business with us, and I'm hopeful he can get it done, and I'm hopeful he makes it a priority.
Ryan Knutson: When it comes to the soybean trade, is there anything that you'd want government officials or President Trump to know right now?
Scott Dierickx: Know that the short-term pain is real. I'm optimistic that they can improve it. There's so many things in life that you can't control that feel like aren't in your power, but a lot of people in this administration have the ability to have meetings, make relationships, solve problems, and ultimately, hopefully they can open up new doors for US soybean exports.
Ryan Knutson: Our colleague Patrick says that industry trade groups have been pressing DC lawmakers to find new export markets out outside of China and to expand the amount of soybean oil used in other products like diesel fuel. What are the chances that there's a government bailout coming for these farmers?
Patrick Thomas: I would say it's a pretty high. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has said that it's something they're going to work with Congress on and trying to get them funds. We saw it during the first Trump administration. Last year, they gave 10 billion to farmers for low commodity prices trying to make them whole. So I think we're probably headed for another one here at some point at the end of this year.
- trying to make them whole /ˈtraɪɪŋ tə meɪk ðɛm hoʊl/
損失を補填し、損害を回復させる「（損失を補って）元の状態に戻す」
Ryan Knutson: President Trump said today that his administration plans to use some of the revenues is generated from tariffs and give it to farmers. Even if there is a bailout, Patrick says this trade work could have a lasting impact on the farming industry.
Patrick Thomas: I think there needs to be a long-term bit of soul-searching from agriculture in terms of how they're going to deal with China being able to just turn off buying American soybeans. Basically, you're relying on this one country to make this decision. If you lose that without good alternatives, it shows there's not a lot of slack in the system when that buyer no longer comes to the table. You're left holding a bag of a lot of soybeans.
- soul-searching /ˈsoʊl ˌsɜrʧɪŋ/ 自己点検、自己反省
- turn off buying /tɜrn ɔf ˈbaɪɪŋ/ 購入を停止する
- relying on /rɪˈlaɪɪŋ ɑn/ ～に依存している
- without good alternatives /wɪˈðaʊt ɡʊd ɔlˈtɜrnətɪvz/ 良い代替策がなければ
- slack in the system /slæk ɪn ðə ˈsɪstəm/ システムの余裕・余力
- holding a bag /ˈhoʊldɪŋ ə bæg/ （比喩で）損失や負担を抱える
Ryan Knutson: Before we go, we want to know if you have any questions about personal finance. What kind of financial advice are you looking for these days? What worries you the most about building wealth in the current economic climate? Drop us an email or send a voice note to thejournal@wsj.com. That's thejournal@wsj.com. That's all for today, Thursday, September 25th. The Journal is a co-production of Spotify and the Wall Street Journal. Additional reporting in this episode from John Eman. Thanks for listening, see you tomorrow.
WSJ: Sep 26 2025
James Comey Indicted on False Statement Charges
The federal prosecution against the former FBI director comes days after Trump pressured the attorney general to bring the case.
- indicted /ɪnˈdaɪtɪd/ 起訴された
- false statement /fɔːls ˈsteɪtmənt/ 虚偽の供述、虚偽陳述
- charges /ʧɑːrdʒɪz/ 告発、起訴内容
- federal prosecution /ˈfɛdərəl ˌprɑːsɪˈkjuːʃən/ 連邦検察による訴追
- former FBI director /ˈfɔːrmər ˌɛf.biːˈaɪ dəˈrɛktər/ 元FBI長官
- come days after ~ /kʌmz deɪz ˈæftər/ ～から数日後に起こる
- pressure (someone) to do ~ /ˈprɛʃər tə duː/ （人）に～するよう圧力をかける
- attorney general /əˈtɜːrni ˈʤɛnərəl/ 司法長官
- bring the case /brɪŋ ðə keɪs/ 訴訟を起こす、起訴する
Trump to Slap New Tariffs on Pharma, Big Trucks
The tariffs on drugs will be imposed on companies that don’t have plants in the U.S.
- slap tariffs on ~ /slæp ˈtærɪfs ɒn/ ～に関税を課す（くだけた表現で「ドンと課す」ニュアンス）
- new tariffs /nuː ˈtærɪfs/ 新しい関税
- pharma /ˈfɑːrmə/ 製薬業界（pharmaceutical industry の略）
- big trucks /bɪɡ trʌks/ 大型トラック
- impose tariffs /ɪmˈpoʊz ˈtærɪfs/ 関税を課す（よりフォーマルな表現）
- drugs /drʌɡz/ 薬品、医薬品
- companies that don’t have plants in the U.S. /ˈkʌmpəniz ðæt doʊnt hæv plænts ɪn ðə juːˈɛs/ 米国内に工場を持たない企業
- plant (工場) /plænt/ 工場、製造拠点
Democrats Dig In on Shutdown Stance After White House Threatens to Fire Workers
Republicans want a short-term deal to keep the government open, while Democrats seek healthcare funds.
- dig in on ~ /dɪɡ ɪn ɒn/ ～に踏ん張る、（譲らずに）固執する
- shutdown /ˈʃʌtdaʊn/ （政府・機関などの）閉鎖、停止
- stance /stæns/ 立場、姿勢
- threaten to fire /ˈθrɛtən tə ˈfaɪər/ 解雇すると脅す
- short-term deal /ʃɔːrt tɜːrm diːl/ 短期的な合意
- keep the government open /kiːp ðə ˈɡʌvərnmənt ˈoʊpən/ 政府機関を閉鎖させずに運営する
- seek funds /siːk fʌndz/ 資金を求める
- healthcare funds /ˈhɛlθˌkɛr fʌndz/ 医療保険の資金
Trump Confirms He Will Block Israel From Annexing West Bank
President Trump publicly reiterated a pledge he made privately to Arab leaders earlier this week, escalating pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
- confirm /kənˈfɜːrm/ 確認する、表明する
- block ~ from ~ing /blɑːk frʌm/ ～が…するのを阻止する
- annex /ˈæˌnɛks/ 併合する
- West Bank /wɛst bæŋk/ ヨルダン川西岸地区
- reiterate /riːˈɪtəˌreɪt/ 繰り返し述べる、強調する
- pledge /plɛʤ/ 誓約、約束
- privately /ˈpraɪvətli/ 非公式に、内々で
- Arab leaders /ˈærəb ˈliːdərz/ アラブ諸国の指導者たち
- escalate pressure /ˈɛskəˌleɪt ˈprɛʃər/ 圧力を強める
- Israeli Prime Minister /ɪzˈreɪli praɪm ˈmɪnɪstər/ イスラエルの首相
- Benjamin Netanyahu /ˈbɛnʤəmɪn ˌnɛtənˈjɑːhuː/ ベンヤミン・ネタニヤフ
Trump Signs TikTok Order
President Trump signed an executive order formalizing an agreement for a group of American investors to take control of TikTok’s U.S. operations.
- sign an order /saɪn æn ˈɔːrdər/ 命令書に署名する
- executive order /ɪɡˈzɛkjətɪv ˈɔːrdər/ 大統領令、行政命令
- formalize an agreement /ˈfɔːrməˌlaɪz ən əˈɡriːmənt/ 協定を正式化する
- American investors /əˈmɛrɪkən ɪnˈvɛstərz/ 米国の投資家たち
- take control of ~ /teɪk kənˈtroʊl əv/ ～を支配下に置く、掌握する
- operations /ˌɑːpəˈreɪʃənz/ 事業、業務
- TikTok’s U.S. operations /ˈtɪkˌtɑːk juː ɛs ˌɑːpəˈreɪʃənz/ TikTokの米国事業
Unusual Trading Ahead of Crypto-Treasury Deals Draws Scrutiny From U.S. Regulators
The SEC and Finra reached out to companies whose shares moved sharply before they announced plans to buy bitcoin and other digital assets.
- unusual trading /ʌnˈjuːʒuəl ˈtreɪdɪŋ/ 異常な取引
- ahead of ~ /əˈhɛd əv/ ～に先立って、～の前に
- crypto /ˈkrɪptoʊ/ 暗号資産（cryptocurrency の略）
- treasury deals /ˈtrɛʒəri diːlz/ 財務取引、資金取引
- draw scrutiny /drɔː ˈskruːtəni/ 精査を受ける、注視される
- U.S. regulators /juː ɛs ˈrɛɡjəˌleɪtərz/ 米国の規制当局
- SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) /ˌɛs iː ˈsiː/ 米証券取引委員会
- Finra (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) /ˈfɪnrə/ 金融業規制機構
- reach out to ~ /riːʧ aʊt tə/ ～に接触する、働きかける
- shares moved sharply /ʃɛrz muːvd ˈʃɑːrpli/ 株価が急激に動いた
- announce plans /əˈnaʊns plænz/ 計画を発表する
- digital assets /ˈdɪʤɪtl ˈæsɛts/ デジタル資産
Every Nation Wants to Copy Iran’s Deadly Shahed Drone
Militaries around the world are seeking low-cost, easy-to-make ways to exhaust an enemy’s air defenses.
- every nation /ˈɛvri ˈneɪʃən/ すべての国
- copy ~ /ˈkɒpi/ ～を模倣する、真似る
- deadly /ˈdɛdli/ 致死性の、非常に危険な
- Shahed drone /ʃɑːˈhɛd droʊn/ シャヘド無人機（イラン製ドローンの名称）
- militaries around the world /ˈmɪlɪtəriz əˈraʊnd ðə wɜːrld/ 世界中の軍隊
- seek /siːk/ 探し求める、追求する
- low-cost /loʊ kɒst/ 低コストの、安価な
- easy-to-make /ˈiːzi tə meɪk/ 作りやすい
- exhaust an enemy’s air defenses /ɪɡˈzɔːst ən ˈɛnəmiːz ɛər dɪˈfɛnsɪz/ 敵の防空システムを消耗させる、疲弊させ
Chinese Premier Signals Desire for Stable U.S. Ties
Li Qiang, China’s No. 2-ranking official, urged U.S. executives in a New York visit to help maintain a fragile detente between Beijing and Washington.
- signals desire for ~ /ˈsɪɡnəlz dɪˈzaɪər fɔːr/ ～への希望・意向を示す
- stable U.S. ties /ˈsteɪbl juː ɛs taɪz/ 米国との安定した関係
- No. 2-ranking official /ˈnʌmbər tuː ˈræŋkɪŋ əˈfɪʃəl/ ナンバー2の高官、二番目に権力のある役人
- urge ~ to do /ɜːrdʒ tə duː/ ～に…するよう強く促す
- executives /ɪɡˈzɛkjətɪvz/ 経営者、幹部
- fragile detente /ˈfrædʒəl deɪˈtɑːnt/ 脆弱な停戦関係、緊張緩和の不安定な状態
- Beijing /ˌbeɪˈʤɪŋ/ 中国の首都・北京
- Washington /ˈwɒʃɪŋtən/ 米国の首都・ワシントン
detente
/deɪˈtɑːnt/
（国家間の）緊張緩和、関係改善
フランス語由来の単語で、政治・外交で使われることが多い。敵対関係や冷戦下などの緊張状態を和らげる試みを指す。例：The two countries sought a detente after years of conflict.（両国は長年の対立の後、関係緩和を模索した）
Hegseth Orders Top U.S. Military Officers to Washington for Mystery Meeting
The defense secretary hasn’t disclosed the reason for next week’s gathering, causing some consternation among generals and admirals.
- orders ~ to ~ /ˈɔːrdərz tə/ ～を…に呼び寄せる、命じる
- top U.S. military officers /tɑːp juː ɛs ˈmɪlɪtəri ˈɒfɪsərz/ 米国の主要軍幹部
- mystery meeting /ˈmɪstəri ˈmiːtɪŋ/ 謎の会合、非公開の会議
- defense secretary /dɪˈfɛns ˈsɛkrəˌtɛri/ 国防長官（米国の場合）
- hasn’t disclosed the reason /ˈhæzənt dɪsˈkloʊzd ðə ˈriːzn/ 理由を明らかにしていない
- gathering /ˈɡæðərɪŋ/ 集会、会合
- consternation /ˌkɒnstərˈneɪʃən/ 驚きや困惑、懸念、面食らうこと
->concern や worry - generals and admirals /ˈʤɛnərəlz ənd ˈædmərəlz/ 将軍と提督
Justice Department Lays Groundwork for Probes of Soros-Funded Group
A memo urging an investigation follows President Trump’s call on prosecutors to pursue the liberal philanthropist.
- Justice Department /ˈʤʌstɪs dɪˈpɑːrtmənt/ 司法省（米国）
- lay the groundwork for ~ /leɪ ðə ˈɡraʊndˌwɜːrk fɔːr/ ～の準備をする、基盤を築く
- probes /proʊbz/ 調査、捜査（政府・法的調査を指す）
- Soros-funded group /ˈsɔːrəs ˈfʌndɪd ɡruːp/ ソロス氏が資金提供する団体
- memo /ˈmɛmoʊ/ メモ、覚書、社内文書
- urging an investigation /ˈɜːrdʒɪŋ ən ɪnˌvɛstəˈɡeɪʃən/ 調査を促す、要請する
- follows President Trump’s call on prosecutors /ˈfɑːloʊz ˈprɛzɪdənt trʌmps kɔːl ɒn prəˈsɪkjutərz/ トランプ大統領が検察官に呼びかけたことを受けて行われる
- pursue the liberal philanthropist /pərˈsuː ðə ˈlɪbərəl ˈfɪlənθrəpɪst/ 自由主義的慈善家を追及する ->関する調査を行う
Lisa Cook Tells Supreme Court the Fed’s Independence Is at Stake
She argues that allowing the administration to remove her would “transform the Federal Reserve into a body subservient to the President’s will.”
- tells Supreme Court /tɛlz səˈpriːm kɔːrt/ 最高裁に訴える、意見を述べる
- the Fed’s independence /ðə fɛdz ˌɪndɪˈpɛndəns/ FRB（連邦準備制度）の独立性
- at stake /æt steɪk/ 危うくなる、かかっている
- argue that ~ /ˈɑːrɡjuː ðæt/ ～だと主張する
- allowing the administration to remove her /əˈlaʊɪŋ ði ædˌmɪnɪˈstreɪʃən tə rɪˈmuːv hɜːr/ 政権が彼女を解任できるようにすること
- transform ~ into ~ /trænsˈfɔːrm ˈɪntuː/ ～を…に変える
- body subservient to the President’s will /ˈbɒdi səbˈsɜːrvjənt tə ðə ˈprɛzɪdənts wɪl/ 大統領の意向に従属する組織
->「subservient」は強く従属するニュアンス。