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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for inf...
Feb 24, 2026•32 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was...
Feb 21, 2026•33 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur, with help from Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by K...
Feb 19, 2026•35 min
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 ...
Feb 14, 2026•39 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. 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 ...
Feb 12, 2026•29 min
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 ...
Feb 10, 2026•25 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sa...
Feb 07, 2026•32 min
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.” Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This ep...
Feb 05, 2026•37 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by V...
Feb 03, 2026•23 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode ...
Jan 31, 2026•40 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
Jan 28, 2026•31 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited...
Jan 27, 2026•27 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising....
Jan 24, 2026•42 min
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. Thoughts Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. Read the full transcript here: https://nytimes.com/2026/01/22/opinion/trump-second-term-one-yea...
Jan 22, 2026•40 min
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. 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...
Jan 17, 2026•40 min
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. 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 un...
Jan 14, 2026•22 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. Read the full transcript here...
Jan 13, 2026•34 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com Read the full transcript here: https://nytimes.com/2026/01/10/opinion/trump-donroe-doctrine-ice-minneapolis-venezuela.html Hosted...
Jan 10, 2026•41 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions...
Jan 08, 2026•27 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com Read the ful...
Jan 05, 2026•43 min
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. This episode originally aired on August 6, 2025. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. Se...
Dec 31, 2025•19 min
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. ...
Dec 24, 2025•27 min
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....
Dec 22, 2025•35 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Original...
Dec 20, 2025•33 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Alison...
Dec 18, 2025•29 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Wein...
Dec 15, 2025•30 min
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 c...
Dec 13, 2025•41 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Alison Bruz...
Dec 12, 2025•32 min
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. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This ...
Dec 09, 2025•33 min
President Trump’s popularity appears to be slipping in the Republican Party and with the American people. This week Republicans eked out a victory in a Tennessee special election, but only after national groups spent millions of dollars shoring up their chosen candidate. Meanwhile, G.O.P. lawmakers seem skeptical of the Trump administration’s justification for boat strikes in the Caribbean. On this episode, the Opinion national politics writer Michelle Cottle discusses the ramifications for the ...
Dec 06, 2025•38 min
