Paul Krugman: After 25 Years, My Parting Words to Readers
The columnist reflects on a quarter century of contrarian opinions at The Times.
Dec 17, 2024•16 min
The Opinions
You've heard the news, here's what to make of it.
Episodes
Why I’m Not Dreading Holiday Chores This Season
Holidays often mean more work. Here’s how to view that work differently.
Dec 16, 2024•9 min
Tell Us What Brought You Joy In 2024
Is there a movie, a book, a meme, a memory, a hobby you took up or a vice you quit that stayed with you this year, or helped you unwind and forget about it all? Times Opinion wants to hear about it. Leave us a voice memo at [email protected] . We need your name, phone number, and where you’re calling from. Tell us what you’re holding onto, and why, as you head into 2025. You may get to hear your pick in an upcoming episode....
Dec 13, 2024•56 sec
What the Glorification of Luigi Mangione Reveals About America
The political scientist Robert A. Pape has studied political violence for the past 30 years. In this episode of “The Opinions,” he describes what his research illuminates about the homicide of United Healthcare’s chief executive, Brian Thompson. Pape also explains why he is not surprised by the background of Luigi Mangione, who has been charged with the killing.
Dec 12, 2024•10 min
The One Thing the U.S. Can Do to Help Syria Now
In this episode of The Opinions, Farah Stockman, a member of the Times’s editorial board, argues that letting U.S. sanctions against Syria expire, while not without risks, could go a long way to helping ordinary Syrians build a prosperous and stable nation.
Dec 11, 2024•9 min
The Security Threat Hundreds of Miles Above Our Heads
What would happen if a nuclear weapon detonated in space, destroying the satellites that make so much of our digital existence — and our national security — possible? In this episode, William Hennigan, the lead writer for Times Opinion’s At the Brink series, speaks with the man whose job is to make sure that never happens. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] ....
Dec 10, 2024•12 min
The Power Struggle Behind Trans Youth Health Care
In this episode, the New York Times Opinion columnists Lydia Polgreen and M. Gessen discuss the historic Supreme Court case United States v. Skrmetti, its implications for gender-affirming care for minors in Tennessee, and what it could mean for how the federal government interprets “equal rights” moving forward. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Dec 09, 2024•18 min
How a Book From 1981 Anticipated This Political Moment
In this conversation, the New York Times Opinion columnists Carlos Lozada, a former book critic, and Pamela Paul, previously the editor of The Times’s Book Review, each share one book that, in their opinion, can help us understand this point in history.
Dec 06, 2024•16 min
The Secret to Enjoying Awkward Holiday Parties
The holiday season is known for bringing dreaded cocktail party small talk. But your conversations with colleagues, friends or family need not be awkward drudgery, according to Opinion Audio’s executive producer, Annie-Rose Strasser. In this episode, she reveals her no-fail solution to making every conversation accessible and exciting, no matter who shows up to the holiday party. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Dec 04, 2024•8 min
Five Opinion Writers on What Biden Should Do in His Final Days as President
President Biden has about six weeks left in office, and with Republicans set to control both houses of Congress and the presidency next year, his final acts may be more important than ever. So we asked five Opinion writers: What should Mr. Biden’s priority be over these next few weeks? Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]
Dec 03, 2024•22 min
David Brooks on Staying Humane in Inhumane Times
These are cruel and challenging times. How did previous generations hold on to their sanity — and humanity — in the face of violence and instability? In this episode, the columnist David Brooks seeks answers in the intellectual and moral traditions of ancient Athens and Jerusalem. The key to thriving, he argues, is to embody behaviors that might at first seem contradictory. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Dec 02, 2024•7 min
Can Learning to Love Beans Help Save the Planet?
In a nation filled with meat lovers, how can we persuade Americans to stop eating animals and help save the planet? The food writer Bee Wilson believes the answer lies with food preferences — specifically, changing them. “It is possible to learn to love new foods, and it’s something transformative and actually joyous,” she says. In this episode, she makes the case for changing your taste for beans, a humble legume that is packed with extraordinary flavor. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytime...
Nov 28, 2024•7 min
Thomas Friedman: Trump’s Path to a Nobel Peace Prize?
The Israel-Gaza war poses multiple challenges for President-elect Donald Trump’s new administration. But the former president has proposed a plan for peace in the region before. The question is: can he be convinced to pursue it again? In this episode, the columnist Thomas L. Friedman argues that Trump has an opportunity to make history. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Nov 27, 2024•9 min
Nicholas Kristof: Consider Skipping Meat This Thanksgiving
It’s Thanksgiving week, and the columnist Nicholas Kristof wants you to consider skipping the turkey. “I don’t want to wag my fingers at people and tell them, ‘Look, this is how you should eat,’ but I do think that there are really important ethical questions that we have to ponder and confront,” he says. In this episode, Kristof argues that Americans, who spend thousands of dollars each year caring for their dogs, should spare a thought for the pigs who live short lives in brutal conditions bef...
Nov 26, 2024•7 min
I’m a Food Editor. I Hate Thanksgiving Dinner.
Margaux Laskey, an associate editor at New York Times Cooking, has a surprising confession: She doesn’t like Thanksgiving dinner. After days of effort, she finds the final product bland and boring. “I love gratitude and thankfulness, but I’m grateful I don’t have to eat turkey if I don’t want to,” she says. In this episode, she shares ways to celebrate Thanksgiving — no cooking required. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Nov 25, 2024•5 min
Bret Stephens: The Logic Behind Trump’s Cabinet Picks
From Matt Gaetz to Tulsi Gabbard, President-elect Donald Trump’s outlandish cabinet selections reflect the power of social and political deviance, the Opinion columnist Bret Stephens argues in this episode.
Nov 21, 2024•9 min
Trump Should Bring the Ukraine War to Its ‘Inevitable Ending’
President-elect Donald Trump has said that as president, he will negotiate an end to the carnage in Ukraine in a single day. A peace deal could have ugly effects for Ukraine, but according to the contributing writer Megan Stack, Trump should put an end to the war and finally be the friend to Ukraine America likes to believe it is. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Nov 20, 2024•10 min
Trump’s Win Terrifies Me. Why Don’t Boys My Age Care?
Exit polls from the presidential election reveal a divided country: Women tended to vote for Kamala Harris; men, for Donald Trump. And that divide may extend to citizens who aren’t yet of voting age. Naomi Beinart, a 16-year-old junior, witnessed it at her school in the days after the election. In this episode, Beinart says that while her fellow female students fear for the future, “this election didn’t seem to measurably change anything for the boys around me, whether their parents supported Mr...
Nov 19, 2024•7 min
Hungary Shows Us How a Second Trump Term Might Play Out
Donald Trump has referred to Hungary’s autocratic prime minister, Viktor Orban, as “a great man, a great leader.” In this episode, the columnist M. Gessen, who is in exile from Vladimir Putin’s Russia, draws parallels between Trump, Orban and Putin. Gessen explores what life might look like in Trump’s next term and describes their fear that, this time, “people are going to retreat into their private lives and try to shut out the political world.”
Nov 18, 2024•10 min
Robert Kennedy Jr. Revealed What Is Missing in Public Health Messaging
In a recent interview, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he expected that the Trump administration would recommend against putting fluoride in drinking water, which was met with public outrage and confusion. The economist Emily Oster argues the public deserves more nuanced analysis and explanation on public health issues like fluoridation to build trust. Public health is complex, she says, but experts need to believe that the public can understand the context in which decisions are made — and explain t...
Nov 14, 2024•9 min
David Brooks: Maybe Bernie Sanders Is Right
The biggest divide in America today is not about race or gender, the Times Opinion columnist David Brooks argues. In this episode, he explains how the “diploma divide” can help us understand Donald Trump’s overwhelming support from working-class Americans and what Democrats can do to win them back. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Nov 13, 2024•11 min
‘People Are In for a Really Rude Shock’ on Trump’s Economy
Voters chose Donald Trump, in part, in response to inflation under President Biden. And yet, the columnist Paul Krugman argues, the new president-elect’s economic plan “is the most inflationary program probably that any American president has ever tried to implement.” In this episode, Krugman outlines four reasons Trump’s economic plans will hurt Americans’ wallets. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Nov 12, 2024•7 min
Stop Pretending Trump Is Not Who We Are
For those caught off guard, Trump’s victory has been a shock. In this episode of “The Opinions,” the columnist and “Matter of Opinion” co-host Carlos Lozada encourages his fellow Americans to ask a sobering question: If Trump is our preferred leader, what does that mean for who we are as a nation? Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]
Nov 11, 2024•13 min
The Hubris That Cost Democrats the Election
The New York Times Opinion columnists Lydia Polgreen and Tressie McMillan Cottom discuss what was revealed about America on Tuesday, why the Democrats failed and what individuals can do about the future. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Nov 07, 2024•19 min
David French: It’s Time to Admit America Has Changed
Donald Trump’s enduring hold over the Republican Party may send him back to the White House. On this episode of The Opinions, the columnist David French joins deputy Opinion Editor Patrick Healy to discuss the future of the G.O.P. and what a second Trump term might mean for America. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] .
Nov 06, 2024•15 min
Have Election Anxiety? These 5 Minutes Can Help.
Today, many of us are ruminating on an unknowable future. Eliza Barclay, a climate editor for New York Times Opinion and a certified mindfulness instructor, is here to help with that. In this 5-minute mindfulness meditation, she aims to help listeners ease their fears and anxieties about the election by drawing their attention to the present moment. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Nov 05, 2024•9 min
Why Trump's Conduct Hasn’t Tanked His Chances
The Deputy Opinion Editor Patrick Healy on one of the voter insights that has stayed with him from Donald Trump's former campaign manager. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Nov 04, 2024•8 min
Ricky Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Rita Moreno on Puerto Ricans’ Votes
After Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally, three Puerto Rican icons — Ricky Martin, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Rita Moreno — shared a collective message in a Times Opinion essay: “Our vote won’t be a reaction to racist jokes. We’ll be voting for the future of a country that could be majority-minority by midcentury,” they wrote. In this episode, Miranda reads the trio’s essay. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Nov 02, 2024•7 min
Has Trump Lost His Crucial Latino Support?
Republicans’ growing support among Latinos is no longer guaranteed after a comedian made a racist joke at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally. But could it cost Trump the election? Isvett Verde, a Times Opinion editor, speaks with Mike Madrid, a Republican and an expert on Latino voting trends and behaviors, about why the election may hinge on each candidate’s ability to sway Latino voters. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].
Nov 01, 2024•15 min
Embrace Unstructured Naughtiness. Ditch the Switch Witch.
Some parents don't let their children keep their halloween candy, and instead have a "switch witch" come in the night and replace the sweets with a toy. But the Opinion writer Jessica Grose believes the spooky day doesn’t have to be so complicated. In this audio essay, she offers another approach to micromanaging holidays by letting kids’ imaginations run wild.
Oct 31, 2024•8 min