The Daily

The celebrated author on the challenges of being kind, the benefits of meditation and the reality check of death. theinterview@nytimes.comyoutube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastnytimes.com/theinterview Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Four White House reporters from The New York Times sat down with President Trump on Wednesday for an extended interview in the Oval Office. David E. Sanger, one of the reporters, walks us through their conversation. Guest: David E. Sanger, a White House and National Security Correspondent for The New York Times Background reading: what we saw when we interviewed the presidentPresident Trump made clear that he would be the arbiter of any limits to his authoritiesPhoto: Doug Mills/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Warning: This episode contains strong language. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday released new guidelines that dramaticaly cut down the number of childhood vaccines recommended by the federal government. Apoorva Mandavilli and Benjamin Mueller, who cover health, explain what is being cut and how it fits into Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s broader agenda. Guest: Apoorva MandavilliBenjamin MuellerBackground reading: scaled back the number of vaccines recommended for childrenHere’s what to knowPhoto: Annie Rice/EPA, via Shutterstock For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

This year, the 2026 midterm elections will decide which party controls Congress, and whether Republicans can hold on to every lever of influence in Washington. Annie Karni and Shane Goldmacher, who cover politics, discuss the opportunities and perils for both parties. Guest: Annie KarniShane GoldmacherBackground reading: are floating unusual midterm conventionssix big political questionspolls for the 2026 electionsPhoto: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

On Monday, President Trump picked Vice President Delcy Rodríguez of Venezuela, now the interim leader, to continue to preside over the country instead of María Corina Machado, the opposition leader. Anatoly Kurmanaev, who reports on Venezuela, explains why Mr. Trump chose a Maduro loyalist to run the country. And Venezuelan citizens reflect on the realities of a post-Maduro era. Guest: Anatoly Kurmanaev, a reporter for The New York Times who covers Venezuela. Background reading: How Mr. Trump fixed on a Maduro loyalistWhy he refused to backPhoto: From left, Gaby Oraa/Reuters; Leonhard Foeger, via Reuters For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela was brought to New York with his wife over the weekend to face criminal charges. Charlie Savage, who covers national security and legal policy, discusses the legality of Mr. Maduro’s capture and whether the operation could undermine the legal case against him. Guest: Charlie Savage, who covers national security and legal policy for The New York Times. Background reading: Here’s what to knowcites cocaine smugglingFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The United States captured Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan president, over the weekend in a swift and overwhelming military operation. Mr. Maduro was pictured blindfolded, handcuffed and later brought to New York to face criminal charges. Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times, tells the story of how the operation unfolded, and discusses what comes next. Guest: Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times based in Washington. Background reading: at a news conferenceInside “Operation Absolute Resolve,See maps, videos and photosFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

A special episode from The Headlines on the U.S. military operation in Venezuela. Tomorrow, The Daily will publish an episode with more details about Maduro's capture and what comes next for Venezuela. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

As the U.S. government reverses course on renewable energy projects and other policies related to climate change, environmental solutions may seem out of reach. But they’re happening all over the country. Cara Buckley and Catrin Einhorn, who cover climate for The New York Times, discuss their project to document small but significant efforts to solve climate and environmental problems in every U.S. state. Guest: Cara BuckleyCatrin EinhornBackground reading: Here’s a full listjust a few more of the ideas that stood out but that did not make it into the seriesFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

This week, The Daily is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened in the time since. Warning: This episode discusses sexual themes. Artificial intelligence has changed how millions of people write emails, conduct research and seek advice. Kashmir Hill, who covers technology and privacy for The New York Times, tells the story of a woman whose relationship with a chatbot when much further than that. Guest: Kashmir Hill, a features writer on the business desk at The New York Times, covering technology and privacy. Background reading: hereRead morePhoto: Helen Orr for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

This week, The Daily is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened in the time since. In his first 100 days in office this term, President Trump struggled to fulfill his promise to carry out mass deportations, a reality that has prompted his administration to change its strategy. Rather than putting its focus on migrants with a criminal record, or those who recently crossed the border, the White House is increasingly seeking to deport those who came to the United States decades ago and who have established a life, career and family in America. Jessica Cheung, a producer on “The Daily,” tells the story of one such migrant through the eyes of his daughter. Guest: Jessica Cheung, a senior producer at The New York Times, working on “The Daily.” Background reading: hereThe Trump administration has been frustrateda chaotic U.S. deportation flightPhoto: Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

This week, The Daily is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened in the time since. President Trump has used executive orders to wage war on law firms, specifically targeting those whose lawyers have investigated or sued him, or represented his enemies in court. Michael Barbaro speaks to Thomas Sipp, a lawyer who chose to quit after his firm, Skadden, negotiated a deal to placate the president. Guest: Thomas Sipp, a lawyer who left his firm after it negotiated a deal with Mr. Trump. Background reading: hereended up bowing to Mr. Trumptop partners have closed ranksPhoto: Graham Dickie/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

As 2025 comes to an end, The Sunday Special is looking back on the year in culture. This week, on our final episode of the podcast, we’re talking about movies. The potential acquisition of Warner Brothers by Netflix has dominated entertainment news in recent weeks, but the year in movies has been about a lot more than corporate mergers. Alissa Wilkinson, a movie critic for The New York Times, and Nicole Sperling, a culture reporter based in Los Angeles, join Gilbert Cruz to talk about what really matters: the movies we loved this year. Movies discussed in this episode include: “One Battle After Another” “Sinners” “A Minecraft Movie” “Superman” “Weapons” “Wicked: For Good” “Zootopia 2” “Avatar: Fire and Ash” “Marty Supreme” “It Was Just an Accident” “The Testament of Ann Lee” “Come and See Me In the Good Light” “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” On Today’s Episode: Alissa Wilkinson is a movie critic at The Times. Nicole Sperling is a reporter covering Hollywood for The Times. Background Reading: Netflix vs. Paramount: Inside the Epic Battle Over Warner Brothers The 25 Most Notable Movies of 2025 Best Movies of 2025 Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures; 20th Century Studios; Disney Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

This week, The Daily is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened in the time since. In the past few years, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound have been radically reshaping the people’s lives, changing appetites and health. But the drugs also have the power to affect other parts of consumers’ lives, including their romantic relationships. Lisa Miller, who writes about health for The New York Times, tells the story of how these drugs upended one couple’s marriage. Guest: Lisa Miller, a domestic correspondent for the Well section who writes about personal and cultural approaches to physical and mental health. Background reading: herelesser-known side effects on relationshipsPhoto: Katherine Wolkoff for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

In it escalating campaign against Venezuela, the Trump administration has gone from shooting drug boats to trying to seize oil tankers in the Caribbean. Anatoly Kurmanaev, a foreign correspondent for The New York Times who has spent years covering Venezuela, explains why President Trump is shifting his strategy, and what that might tell us about his true endgame. Guest: Anatoly Kurmanaev, a reporter for The New York Times covering Russia and its transformation following the invasion of Ukraine. Background reading: Venezuela’s oil exports have plummeted after the United States took action against three tankers carrying crude. Photo: Satellite image ©2025 Vantor, via Associated Press For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The latest release of files related to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein left key questions unanswered about his rise to power and his connections to the president. David Enrich, an investigations editor at The New York Times, explains how he worked with a team of reporters to fill in those mysteries and reveal the truth about Mr. Epstein’s origins. Guest: David Enrich, a deputy investigations editor for The New York Times. Background reading: revealed new photosThis is the untold storyFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The construction of a giant factory complex in Arizona was supposed to embody the Trump administration’s ability to bring manufacturing back to the United States. But undertaking big projects is not as simple as it seems. Peter S. Goodman, who writes about the intersection of economics and geopolitics for The New York Times, explains why. Guest: Peter S. Goodman, who covers the global economy for The New York Times. Background reading: 18,000 or so reasonsPhoto: Loren Elliott for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

In these final weeks of 2025, The Sunday Special is looking back at the year in culture. Today, we’re talking about the TV we watched this year — the best shows, the most popular ones and the ones that allowed us to just enjoyably veg out. Gilbert Cruz talks with the TV critic James Poniewozik and the culture reporter Alexis Soloski about the year in television. TV shows discussed in this episode: “Severance” “Common Side Effects” “Too Much” “Nobody Wants This” “Dying for Sex” “The Hunting Wives” “The White Lotus” “Dr. Odyssey” “Long Story Short” “Heated Rivalry” “Andor” “The Lowdown” “Platonic” “Pluribus” “The Pitt” “Adolescence” On Today’s Episode: James Poniewozik is the chief TV critic for The New York Times. Alexis Soloski is a culture reporter for The Times. Background Reading: Best TV Shows of 2025 The Best TV Episodes of 2025 Photo Credit: Apple TV+; Netflix; Lucasfilm/Disney+; HBO Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

The writer and lawyer has been documenting the occupation for decades. Somehow, he maintains hope. theinterview@nytimes.comyoutube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastnytimes.com/theinterview Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

With anxieties building over affordability, President Trump made a push to reassure Americans just as the government released long-awaited data that raised new questions about the economic health of the nation. Tony Romm, who covers economic policy for The New York Times, discusses how Mr. Trump is trying to take control of the issue, and Ben Cassleman, The Times’s chief economics correspondent, explains what the latest numbers tell us about why people are still so frustrated. Guest: Tony RommBen CasselmanBackground reading: Here are six takeawaysthe White House has teased the promise of tariff rebatesPhoto: Doug Mills/The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.