The Opinions

Will Trump’s Failures Cost the G.O.P. in Texas?

<p>The Texas Senate primary is three days away, and it’s a high-stakes race. With President Trump slumping in the polls and voters disenchanted with his handling of the economy, Democrats could have a shot at this traditionally Republican state. For this week’s round table, Opinion’s national politics writer Michelle Cottle joins the columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French to discuss Trump’s ineffective State of the Union address, what to expect on Tuesday and what the races reveal about the challenges facing both parties.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin, Alison Bruzek and Jillian Weinberger. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Lisa Angell. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker, Carole Sabouraud and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by 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. 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>

Trump&apos;s Tariffs Won&apos;t Save Workers from A.I.

<p>The Supreme Court’s decision striking down the Trump administration’s tariffs left the President fuming and with fewer weapons in his trade war arsenal. Opinion writers Binyamin Appelbaum and Emily Bazelon, and editor Steve Stromberg, discuss how the Court’s ruling constrains the President, what Trump has done in response, and where trade policy should go from here, as automation and A.I. continue to threaten American workers.</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>

Iran, Epstein and the Abuse of Power: Two Stories, One Pattern

<p>Power — and the abuse of it — is defining the current news cycle. On this week’s round table of “The Opinions,” the Times Opinion politics writer Michelle Cottle is joined by the columnists Nicholas Kristof and David French to discuss President Trump’s aggressive foreign policy, including the buildup of ships in the Middle East, and what the fallout from the Epstein files misses.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Lisa Angell. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Carole Sabouraud 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>

‘Skin Orgasms for Everyone’: Highlights of the Winter Olympics So Far

<p>The Winter Olympics are underway, and all eyes are on Milan. In a round-table discussion, the Opinion editor Steve Stromberg speaks with the contributing writer Esau McCaulley, the writer and podcaster Kelly Corrigan and the Olympian Sasha Cohen on the joys, awe, escapism of the Games — as well as the inescapable politics surrounding them.</p> <p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p> <p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur, with help from Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Jillian Weinberger. Mixing by Efim Shapiro. Original music by Isaac Jones. 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>

Pam Bondi’s ‘Cage Match’ and Trump’s Fraying Coalition

<p>Attorney General Pam Bondi’s combative testimony before the House Judiciary Committee this week offered a glimpse of what’s happening inside the Republican Party: a full-scale meltdown. In this round table episode of “The Opinions,” the columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French join the national politics writer Michelle Cottle to unpack the intraparty wars now fracturing not only the right but also the left — and discuss why President Trump’s second term is proving to be a “great illuminator of the true core of people.”</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Daniel Ramirez. Video editing by Lisa Angell. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker and Isaac Jones. 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>

Trump and the Death of Shared Morality in America

<p>The columnist David Brooks’s 22-year tenure at The New York Times is coming to an end, and so the Conversation trio of Robert Siegel, E.J. Dionne Jr. and Brooks gather one last time to discuss President Trump’s latest upsets and reflect on the departing columnist’s lengthy career and evolving views.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Sonia Herrero. Video editing by Arpita Aneja. 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>

Marijuana Is Everywhere. That’s a Problem.

<p>More than a decade ago, The New York Times editorial board argued that the United States should legalize recreational marijuana. This week, the board modified its stance. Yes, it should be legalized — but it must be better regulated. Marijuana is causing more harm than predicted by many during the fight to legalize it. In this conversation, David Leonhardt, an editorial director in Times Opinion, and Emily Bazelon and German Lopez, Opinion writers who work with the editorial board, explore what smarter regulation could look like and why it’s sorely needed.</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 Hard Is It to Rig an American Election, Really?

<p>Can President Trump really nationalize elections? This week at the round table for “The Opinions,” the Times Opinion national politics writer Michelle Cottle is joined by the columnists David French and Jamelle Bouie to debate what’s behind Trump’s latest fixation and whether MAGA actually wants elections nationalized.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Tony Palmerio. The post-production manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker, Carole Sabouraud and Aman Sahota. 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. 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>

Maureen Dowd and Carlos Lozada on the Empty Propaganda of ‘Melania’

<p>Amazon’s documentary “Melania” has been panned by many as a $40 million piece of propaganda. But who, exactly, is it meant to persuade? The culture editor Nadja Spiegelman and the Opinion columnists Maureen Dowd and Carlos Lozada break down what the film is trying to say and what it reveals about the first lady’s life and inner world. “She wanted to look gorgeous in every frame and not reveal anything,” Dowd says. “And that’s what happened.”</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Jillian Weinberger. Mixing by Sonia Herrero and Efim Shapiro. Video editing by Tony Palmerio. 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>

Caregiving, the Life-Altering Job You Didn’t Apply For

<p>The elderly population is on the rise, bringing the United States' caregiving crisis into sharp focus. On this episode of “The Opinions,” the producer Vishakha Darbha talks with the Times Opinion politics writer Michelle Cottle about the overwhelming audience response to her recent essay about caring for her ailing father, the political challenges of long-term care and the burdens faced by caregivers.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Daniel Ramirez. Original music by Isaac Jones and Sonia Herrero. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. 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>

Is the ICE Crackdown Finally Backfiring on Trump?

<p>President Trump’s call to de-escalate tensions in Minneapolis was short lived, but anger over the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti continues to grow. At this week’s round table, the Opinion national politics writer Michelle Cottle and the columnists David French and Jamelle Bouie look at how bipartisan criticism of ICE’s aggression could fuel the demand for accountability and debate the best path forward for the Democratic Party.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Benjamin Wright. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker 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. 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>

Esther Perel on Why A.I. Intimacy Feels Safe but Isn’t Real

<p>To love is to be human. Or is it? As human-chatbot relationships become more common, the Times Opinion culture editor Nadja Spiegelman talks to the psychotherapist Esther Perel about what really defines human connection, and what we’re seeking when we look to satisfy our emotional needs on our phones.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</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>

Tom Friedman: Minneapolis, Alex Pretti and a Democracy at Risk

<p>The Times Opinion columnist Thomas L. Friedman grew up in Minnesota and spent much of his career traveling to the Middle East. In the aftermath of the shooting death of Alex Pretti, and as the Trump administration continues its crackdown in the Twin Cities, Friedman speaks with the editor Stephen Stromberg about the parallels he sees between his hometown and Gaza today.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Sonia Herrero. Original music by Carole Sabouraud and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. 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>

ICE Is Splitting America in Two

<p>President Trump’s vision of executive power is reshaping America and the world. For “The Opinions,” Aaron Retica, an editor in Opinion, sits down with the Opinion writers and lawyers Emily Bazelon and David French to discuss Trump’s record so far, and what it portends for the next three years.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</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>

Hello, Greenland. Goodbye, Checks and Balances.

<p>President Trump has changed America — and the world — in ways both large and small in the first year of his second term. In a live event recorded at the Library Foundation of Los Angeles on Tuesday, the Opinion editor Kathleen Kingsbury was joined by the columnists Jamelle Bouie and Ross Douthat to discuss those changes and what the year ahead might bring.</p><p>Thoughts Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>Read the full transcript here: https://nytimes.com/2026/01/22/opinion/trump-second-term-one-year-in-analysis.html</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing and original music by Isaac Jones. Engineered by Daniel Ramirez. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to the team at the Library Foundation of Los Angeles.</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>

Will 2026 Be the Year Voters Pull the Emergency Brake?

<p>The midterms are coming, and President Trump is already sounding the alarm. For this week’s round table, the columnists David French and Jamelle Bouie and the Opinion national politics writer Michelle Cottle try to prepare listeners — and themselves — for how each party will frame Trump’s second term and falling approval rating.</p><p>See Jamelle Bouie, Ross Douthat and Kathleen Kingsbury of Times Opinion live at the Library Foundation of Los Angeles on Jan. 20 for “Trump: The First Year of His Second Term.” Get tickets <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trump-the-first-year-of-his-second-term-registration-1980147091254?aff=ebdsoporgprofile" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>Read the full transcript here: https://nytimes.com/2026/01/17/opinion/2026-midterms-trump.html</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Daniel Ramirez. 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 Audio 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>

A Venezuelan Economist on What Trump Gets Wrong About Venezuela

<p>Nicolás Maduro may be out, but Venezuela’s Chavista regime still holds power. Meanwhile, the opposition leader and Nobel Prize winner María Corina Machado is fighting to remain relevant. She’s scheduled to meet with President Trump at the White House on Thursday.</p><p>Francisco Rodríguez, a senior research fellow at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, joins the Opinion editor Dan Wakin to assess the state of the opposition, Machado’s prospects and how Donald Trump factors into Venezuela’s uncertain future.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>Read the full transcript here: https://nytimes.com/2026/01/14/opinion/venezuela-oil-power-trump.html</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and 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 director of Opinion Audio 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 Internet May Look Different After You Listen to This

<p>A.I. slop is taking over the internet. As the line between human-made and machine-made art blurs — and real and fake images collapse into one another — how should we think about culture now? On “The Opinions,” the Opinion culture editor Nadja Spiegelman sits down with the columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom and the creative consultant Emily Keegin to discuss what A.I. slop is for, who benefits from it and what comes next.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>Read the full transcript here: https://nytimes.com/2026/01/13/opinion/ai-slop-internet-trust.html</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Original music by Issac Jones and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio 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 ICE to Foreign Quagmires: Escalation Everywhere

<p>President Trump began 2026 by invading an autonomous nation and capturing its leader. The Opinion politics writer Michelle Cottle talks to the columnists David French and Carlos Lozada about the ICE shooting in Minneapolis and what the “Donroe Doctrine” portends for the president’s foreign policy over the next three years.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com</p><p>Read the full transcript here: https://nytimes.com/2026/01/10/opinion/trump-donroe-doctrine-ice-minneapolis-venezuela.html</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 Kardashian Injectable Lips to Mar-a-Lago Face

<p>In 2023, there were over 34.9 million cosmetic procedures performed globally, a 40 percent increase from four years ago. As these procedures have become more common, the taboos against talking about them have weakened. The New York Times Opinion editor Meher Ahmad speaks to the columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom and the writer Jessica Grose on whether the growing affordability of Botox and fillers has driven this shift, and how an aging face is the new punk rock.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>Read the full transcript here: https://nytimes.com/2026/01/08/opinion/body-modification-gender.html</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio 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>

Is This MAGA Foreign Policy or Something Else Entirely?

<p>President Trump’s operation to capture Nicolás Maduro, the ousted president of Venezuela, and his wife, seems to have been a military success. What is far less clear is what happens next. Stephen Stromberg, an editor in Opinion covering politics and economics, joins the columnists M. Gessen and David French to discuss the legality of America’s attack on Venezuela, the state of the global order and what “America first” means for MAGA now.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com</p><p>Read the full transcript here: https://nytimes.com/2026/01/05/opinion/trump-maduro-capture-venezuela.html</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>

My Gay Son Changed My Understanding of Evangelical Christianity (Re-Air)

<p>Changing your mind can be a difficult thing to do, especially when it also means reconsidering the foundation of your faith. That’s what happened for the evangelical pastor Bill White when his 15-year-old son Timothy came out as gay to him at Starbucks. On this episode of “The Opinions,” Bill reads from his journal documenting the personal transformation that led him to thank God for making his son gay.</p><p>This episode originally aired on August 6, 2025.</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>

Is Trump’s Version of America’s History a Lie? (Re-Air)

<p>President Trump’s attacks on the Smithsonian Museum for being too “woke” in its exhibits are part of a broader effort to control America’s story. Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer and the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, has created institutions that confront the nation’s painful past to preserve an honest vision of history. In this conversation with Jeffrey Toobin, he argues that while America has much to celebrate, whitewashing its history lets its mistakes — and their consequences — live on.</p><p>This episode originally aired on September 10, 2025.</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&apos;s Next Story: Michelle Goldberg

<p>Joe Biden’s immigration policies may have contributed to Donald Trump’s winning a second term, but a year later, Americans are increasingly unhappy with the president’s aggressive deportation tactics. For the final installment of the America’s Next Story series, the columnist Michelle Goldberg joins David Leonhardt, an editorial director in Times Opinion, to discuss her strongly held belief that America is, at its best, a nation of immigrants and that should inform how the country moves forward.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>Read the full transcript here: https://nytimes.com/2025/12/22/opinion/next-american-story-michelle-goldberg-immigration.html</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Efim Shapiro. Original music by Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.</p><p><br /> </p><p> </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>

Was 2025 the End of ‘Teflon Trump’?

<p>As a tumultuous year comes to an end, the New York Times Opinion politics writer Michelle Cottle talks to the columnists David French and Jamelle Bouie about the year that was — the damage done by the Trump administration, including his most recent speech, any silver linings and what to take into 2026.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. 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 Audio 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>

David Brooks, E.J. Dionne and Robert Siegel Take Stock of 2025

<p>The Conversation convenes this week with the Opinion columnist David Brooks, the contributing Opinion writer E.J. Dionne Jr. and the former host of NPR’s “All Things Considered” Robert Siegel to unpack a week of turbulent news across the globe, including the state of the Trump presidency, economic anxiety in America and the president’s approach to national security.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Original music by Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio 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&apos;s Next Story: Bret Stephens

<p>The Republican Party’s wholesale embrace of Donald Trump has left traditional conservatives like the Times Opinion columnist Bret Stephens without a political home. But what happens after Trump leaves office? Will the party return to its Reaganite roots? In this conversation, Stephens and David Leonhardt, an editorial director in Times Opinion, imagine what the G.O.P.’s next story might be.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Efim Shapiro. Original music by Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio 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>

Republican Women vs. the G.O.P.

<p>The Republican Party has a misogyny problem. Congressional members like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace have been pushing past their party’s patriarchal views and fighting back. On this episode of “The Opinions,” the columnist David French is joined by the Opinion national politics writer Michelle Cottle and fellow columnist Jamelle Bouie to discuss how Republican women are standing up to their party and whether President Trump’s view of women will leave a lasting mark on conservative politics.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Pat McCusker, Carole Sabouraud and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio 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>

Tom Friedman Says We’re in a New Epoch. David Brooks Has Questions.

<p>We’re living in a strange moment. According to the columnist Thomas L. Friedman, it’s a completely new era, called the Polycene — one in which everything moves faster and science, technology and politics are more connected than ever. The columnist David Brooks sits down with Friedman to make sense of what the modern world’s cascading crises mean for the future.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. 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 Audio 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>

M. Gessen and Michelle Goldberg on How to Resist

<p>So you disagree with the direction in which your country is headed. What’s a moral person to do? That’s the question the columnists M. Gessen and Michelle Goldberg recently set out to answer in their reporting in different countries. In this conversation with the editor Ariel Kaminer, they discuss recent tactics by Israeli dissidents, Americans organizing against Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other ways to protest unethical policies.</p><p>Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.</p><p>This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Sonia Herrero. Original music by Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio 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>