The Opinions

The American Economy Isn’t as Bad as You Might Think

<p>Despite all its problems, the U.S. economy is actually outperforming its competitors, China and the European Union, two Opinion contributing writers argue in this episode. Natasha Sarin, an economist and law professor, and Dan Wang, an expert on China and manufacturing, are friends in addition to colleagues, and while they often disagree on America’s economic outlook, they reach the same conclusion: The United States remains in a stronger position than many people realize.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Alison Bruzek. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Kristen Williamson. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Isaac Jones. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Best of: Jill Lepore: ‘Most Forms of Tyranny Do Come to an End’

<p>As America’s 250th birthday approaches, we wanted to revisit this conversation with the Harvard historian Jill Lepore. Lepore worries that Americans have become too passive, waiting for change to happen to them rather than shaping it themselves. She is on a mission to revive what has become a lost art in American politics: amending the Constitution.</p> <p>In this conversation with David Leonhardt, an editorial director for New York Times Opinion, Lepore argues that demonizing Donald Trump inevitably backfires on the left and says that turning the page on the Trump era will require not just hope, but determination.</p> <p>Note: This episode originally aired on Oct. 27, 2025.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Original music by Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Three Opinion Writers on Trump’s Latest Faceplant

<p>As America heads toward its 250th anniversary, many of its citizens and residents are not feeling particularly celebratory. This week on “The Opinions,” the national politics writer Michelle Cottle and the columnists David French and Jamelle Bouie discuss what it means to mark the nation’s anniversary at a moment of deep division. Plus: The latest from the Reflecting Pool waters, and the three writers share their own patriotic recommendations for the week ahead.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Efim Shapiro. Engineering by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Kristen Williamson and Brandon Belk-Yee. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker, Julie Beer and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Thomas Friedman on the Clash at the Core of the Iran Deal

<p>The divide between Iran and America is, the Opinion columnist Thomas L. Friedman argues, ultimately about the difference between “Kushnerism” (named for the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner) and “Khomeiniism” (named for the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran). In conversation with the Opinion editor Dan Wakin, Friedman explains what he means and discusses what he sees as President Trump’s recent string of failures.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

‘A Deeply Anxious Personality’: Three Opinion Writers on JD Vance’s New Book

In JD Vance’s second memoir, “Communion,” the vice president reveals himself to be a deeply anxious person searching for certainty, the Opinion national politics correspondent Michelle Cottle argues. In this conversation with the contributor E.J. Dionne Jr. and the columnist Carlos Lozada, the three discuss the ways in which Vance is courting potential constituencies and positioning himself as the next Republican presidential nominee. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Spectacle of Trump at 80

<p>What does it say about President Trump — and America — that the soon-to-be octogenarian plans to celebrate his 80th birthday with a series of U.F.C. matches on the White House lawn? On “The Opinions,” the Times contributor Robert Siegel and fellow contributors E.J. Dionne Jr. and Peter Wehner debate this form of “human cockfighting,” and take stock of the state of the nation ahead of America’s 250th birthday.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Jillian Weinberger. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Steph Khoury and Kristen Williamson. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

The A.I. Bubble Is Coming for Your Retirement Account

<p>SpaceX, Elon Musk’s rocket, satellite and A.I. company, is about to go public at a record-breaking $1.77 trillion. This summer, Anthropic and Open A.I. will follow suit, also with sky-high valuations. Are they worth it? The Opinion writer David Wallace-Wells and the contributing writer Natasha Sarin, an economist and law professor, tackle that question and discuss what these I.P.O.s mean for the American economy in the near future and beyond.</p> <p>(The New York Times has sued OpenAI and Microsoft claiming copyright infringement. The companies have denied those claims.)</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker, and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Graham Platner and the Rise of the ‘Dirtbag’ Democrat

<p>On Tuesday, Graham Platner could become the Democratic Senate nominee in Maine. That has many in his party worried. This week on “The Opinions,” the political writer Michelle Cottle and the columnists David French and Jamelle Bouie discuss the controversial Platner, what his rise can tell us about the role of morality and authenticity in American politics today and how President Trump’s terrible poll numbers are motivating some in Congress to start pushing back.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Video editing by Kristen Williamson and Ben Wright. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Carole Sabouraud and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to Aaron Retica.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Why No Kings Isn’t Working

<p>The American dream is dying — or dead — and many Americans, especially young people, are struggling to imagine what comes next. Between political instability, wars, inflation and artificial intelligence disrupting the job market, there’s a lot that is uncertain about the future. In this episode, the Times Opinion culture editor Nadja Spiegelman speaks with the Opinion columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom and the New York magazine writer Brock Colyar about the grief, paralysis and loss of agency shaping this political moment — and whether there’s a path forward.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Jasmine Romero. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Steph Khoury. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Isaac Jones and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Sorry, Republicans, Trump Doesn’t Love You Back

<p>This week, the YOLO Republican caucus takes center stage — YOLO, of course, standing for “you only live once.” On “The Opinions,” the Times contributor Robert Siegel argues that senators like Thom Tillis and Bill Cassidy, freed from certain electoral pressures, can now vote in accordance with their principles rather than whatever President Trump dictates.</p> <p>He is joined by the Times contributor E.J. Dionne Jr. and the Bulwark editor Mona Charen to discuss the caucus’s newest member, John Cornyn, who was recently defeated in Texas, and what Cornyn’s loss signals about MAGA’s grip on the Republican Party.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Kaari Piktin. Mixing by Isaac Jones. Video editing by Ben Wright. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Carole Sabouraud and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

America Has a Masculinity Crisis

<p>Young men are in crisis. While the left tells men to stay in their lane, members of the manosphere and the far right are welcoming them with open arms. In a conversation about masculinity in a post-#MeToo world, the Opinion culture editor Nadja Spiegelman talks to the authors Ruth Whippman and Frederick Joseph about what a healthier version of manhood could look like — and how we can get there.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Jasmine Romero. Mixing by Daniel Ramirez. Video editing by Steph Khoury. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker, Isaac Jones and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Has Trump Gone Full ‘Mob Boss’?

<p>President Trump’s proposed political slush fund is getting pushback — including from his own party. This week on “The Opinions,” the national politics writer Michelle Cottle and the columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French discuss how the president’s “reparations for rioters” settlement fund may be his biggest miscalculation yet ahead of the November midterms.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Video editing by Julian Hackney. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Julie Beer and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

MAHA Is No Longer Useful to Trump

<p>Is the MAHA movement’s political influence waning? On “The Opinions,” the Times Opinion science editor Alexandra Sifferlin, the columnist and sociologist Tressie McMillan Cottom and the Opinion science writer David Wallace-Wells explored this question in a live event at the Brooklyn Public Library. They discussed the impact of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s tenure as secretary of health and human services and what a counternarrative to MAHA should look like.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Original music by Carole Sabouraud, Aman Sahota and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Lori Segal and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to the Brooklyn Public Library.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

What Silicon Valley Is Coming for Next

<p>Silicon Valley wants to be the best tastemaker in town. Artificial intelligence is changing how we decide what to wear and read and how we interact with pop culture. The Times Opinion culture editor Nadja Spiegelman talks to the New Yorker writer Kyle Chayka and the journalist and critic Sophie Haigney about the rise of “taste slop” and what happens to culture if the internet collapses into just a few chatbots that serve us everything.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishkaha Darbha. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Jasmine Romero. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Steph Khoury. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker, Isaac Jones, Carole Sabouraud and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

The Great Political Realignment of 2026

<p>The Supreme Court’s recent decision on the Voting Rights Act has supercharged a redistricting frenzy in states across the country. The Times Opinion contributors Robert Siegel and E.J. Dionne and the SCOTUSblog editor Sarah Isgur discuss the ruling’s implications for future elections. Ms. Isgur makes the case that voters are over reality TV politics and warns Democrats against embracing Trump-style candidates.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger with help from Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Video editing by Arpita Aneja and Kristen Williamson. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Carole Sabouraud and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

How Strongmen Like Trump Get in Your Head

<p>The columnist M. Gessen has spent most of their career reporting on and writing about authoritarianism in Russia. They now cover President Trump and the MAGA movement in the United States. In this conversation with Rachel Louise Snyder, a Times Opinion contributing writer and an expert on domestic violence, M. Gessen draws parallels between interpersonal violence and the way authoritarians coerce and control their subjects. The two discuss a question that domestic violence victims and those who live under authoritarianism often get: Why didn’t you just leave?</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Pat McCusker, Carole Sabouraud and Sonia Herrero. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

High Gas Prices Are Just the Beginning

<p>On this episode of “The Opinions,” the Opinion writers David Wallace-Wells and Michelle Cottle join the columnist David French to discuss why this “especially messy” war of choice could reshape the global economy and why the biggest effects may still be ahead. “I don’t think that anyone in the Trump administration adequately game-planned for that, which is a huge indictment of them,” argues Wallace-Wells. Plus, amid the turmoil, there may be one unexpected silver lining: an acceleration of the transition to green energy.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Efim Shapiro. Video editing by Arpita Aneja. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Justice Neil Gorsuch on the ‘Miracle’ of Agreement on the Court

<p>As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, the columnist David French sits down with a fellow originalist, the Supreme Court justice Neil Gorsuch. The two discuss the radical nature of the country’s founding, its continuing influence on the court and why David sees the justice’s jurisprudence as “a combination of originalist and anti-bully.”</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger with help from Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Piktin and Alison Bruzek. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Video editing by Arpita Aneja, Kristen Williamson with help from Jan Kobal. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Carole Sabouraud, Isaac Jones and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Julie Beer, Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

In a Small Iowa Town, a Solution to a National Crisis

<p>As a new flood season approaches, many Americans remain haunted by the last. Families across the country are still in mourning months after the waters receded from places like the Texas Hill Country, where a flash flood on the Guadalupe River in July left at least 135 people dead, many of them children.</p> <p>There is a way for communities to prepare for future floods and try to limit their damage. The producer Jillian Weinberger went to a small town in Iowa to meet a mayor who discovered how effective one solution can be in a crisis. As the Trump administration leaves communities to fend for themselves, one state has a model that could help us all as the waters rise.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Pat McCusker, Isaac Jones, Carole Sabouraud and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to David Leonhardt and Derek Arthur.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Trump’s True Deal-Making Abilities, Revealed

<p>President Trump, the self-proclaimed master of deal making, is struggling to end his war with Iran. This week, the contributing Opinion writers E.J. Dionne Jr. and Robert Siegel reunite with the Opinion columnist Carlos Lozada to discuss the confusion caused by Trump’s foreign and domestic policies, the power of political memoirs, and whether a bill in Virginia could upend the Electoral College.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Efim Shapiro and Isaac Jones. Video editing by Arpita Aneja. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Carole Sabouraud and Sonia Herrero. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Annika Robbins, with support from Michelle Harris. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

‘The Rich Don’t Play by the Rules. So Why Should I?’

<p>When does shoplifting become an act of political protest? The Opinion culture editor Nadja Spiegelman is calling this microlooting, and it describes the phenomenon of people stealing small things from big corporations like Whole Foods. The New Yorker writer Jia Tolentino and the political commentator Hasan Piker join Spiegelman for a lively discussion on what’s behind this trend and where it might lead.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Jasmine Romero. Mixing by Carole Sabouruad. Video editing by Steph Khoury. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker, Isaac Jones and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

From Hungary to the Pope, the Right’s Very Bad Week

<p>Despite Vice President JD Vance’s best efforts, Hungary ousted the illiberal authoritarian Viktor Orban this week. As the columnist David French argues, Orbanism was “intellectual Trumpism,” and the prime minister’s defeat could signal trouble for the MAGA movement in the United States. In this episode, French discusses what Orban’s demise means for Trump with the columnist Michelle Goldberg, who just got back from Hungary, and the national politics writer Michelle Cottle.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur and Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Daniel Ramirez. Video editing by Julian Hackney. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker and Sonia Herrero. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Older Women Are in Demand By Younger Men

<p>Younger men are increasingly seeking out older women — and it’s not just a dating trend. It’s a shift in power, desire and modern masculinity.</p> <p>In this episode of “The Opinions,” the Opinion culture editor Nadja Spiegelman talks with the writer and psychoanalyst Jamieson Webster and Emily Leibert, a staff writer at The Cut, about why age-gap relationships are so popular and whether they signal liberation, backlash or something more complicated.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek, Kaari Pitkin and Jasmine Romero. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Steph Khoury. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Isaac Jones, Pat McCusker, Carole Sabouraud and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Trump’s War of Choice Will Become a War of Regret

<p>Regardless of how the war with Iran ends, the damage to America’s reputation has already been done, the Opinion columnist Carlos Lozada argues. This week, he joins the contributing Opinion writer E.J. Dionne Jr. and the former “All Things Considered” host Robert Siegel to discuss Trump’s approach to power and the end of America’s role as the leader of the free world.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Steph Khoury. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Sonia Herrero and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Did Wokeness Leave Us Worse Off?

<p>The right is known for using provocative language. But lately there’s been a push to be transgressive, even on the left — from the return of certain slurs to the removal of pronouns from bios. Nadja Spiegelman, a Times Opinion culture editor, is joined by the writer and culture critic Aminatou Sow and the New York magazine writer Brock Colyar to debate whether our culture is abandoning political correctness — and if so, why? Plus, stick around to hear what words Aminatou and Brock would like to ban.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Jasmine Romero. Mixing by Isaac Jones. Video editing by Jan Kobal and Arpita Aneja. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker, Isaac Jones and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Trump’s Relentless, ‘Utterly Incoherent’ Battles

<p>President Trump claims America is “winning bigger than ever before,” but his battles abroad and in American courtrooms drag on. This week on “The Opinions,” the national politics writer Michelle Cottle and the columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French discuss Trump’s efforts to build support for the war in Iran. And in domestic politics, the trio discuss why even conservative Supreme Court judges seem skeptical of the administration’s push to end birthright citizenship.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Jillian Weinberger. Mixing by Daniel Ramirez. Video editing by Arpita Aneja and Kristen Williamson. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Isaac Jones and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

What Do You Do When a Family Member Commits a Terrible Crime?

<p>Maintaining a relationship with a convicted family member can be complicated. The columnist M. Gessen would know.</p> <p>In a new podcast series from Serial called “The Idiot,” M. grapples with the fact that their first cousin committed a terrible crime. In 2024, a federal judge sentenced Allen to 10 years in prison for taking out a hit on his ex-wife, the mother of his children.</p> <p>Now, M. talks about their dilemma with their friend Harriet Clark, whose mother, Judy Clark, served 37 years in prison for driving the getaway car in a robbery that led to the deaths of three people. Harriet explains how the adults in her life gave her the opportunity to create and sustain a strong relationship with her mother, and why M. should do the same for Allen’s children.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at <a href="mailto:theopinions@nytimes.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">theopinions@nytimes.com</a>.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouruad. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

‘We Are Going to Deeply Regret This War’

Will the war with Iran further degrade America’s already strained relationships with its allies? This week, Mona Charen, the policy editor at The Bulwark, joins the contributing Opinion writer E.J. Dionne Jr. and the former “All Things Considered” host Robert Siegel to unpack what the war portends for NATO, for Israel’s image in the United States and for American politics going forward. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

‘Everything After This Will Be Harder’: General Stanley McChrystal on Iran

<p>Did President Trump fall for the myth of surgical warfare? Gen. Stanley McChrystal joins the columnist David French, both veterans of the Iraq War, to discuss what may have been overlooked in the planning of Operation Epic Fury. McChrystal, who retired from the Army in 2010, argues that the United States often overestimates the decisive power of aerial bombing while underestimating the weight of historical grievance. And the general weighs in on the current culture of bravado coming from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.</p> <p>This conversation was recorded on Friday, March 20. </p> <p>Thoughts? Questions? Email us at <strong>theopinions@nytimes.com</strong></p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur and Victoria Chamberlin. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Alison Bruzek. Mixing by Isaac Jones and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair, Mary Marge Locker and Michelle Harris. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>

Trump’s Recklessness Will ‘Haunt Us for a Generation’

<p>President Trump has his own ideas about American power, American voters, and American enemies. On “The Opinions,” the writer Michelle Cottle and the columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French argue that unfortunately Trump misunderstands all three.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur and Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Jillian Weinberger and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Efim Shapiro. Video editing by Arpita Aneja. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Michelle Harris. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p> <p>Thoughts? Questions? Email us at <strong>theopinions@nytimes.com</strong></p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>