The Daily

The acclaimed writer has a new memoir, and a warning.Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.comWatch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastFor transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Over the past 24 hours, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been plunged into turmoil.Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tried to fire the agency’s director, Susan Monarez, igniting a standoff that prompted three other senior officials to resign.One of those officials, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, explains why he chose to take a stand.Guest: Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, a former director at the C.D.C.Background reading: The Covid-19 pandemic made the C.D.C. a frequent target of lawmakers and segments of the general public.Mr. Kennedy’s move to dismiss Dr. Monarez came after she declined to fire agency leaders or to accept all recommendations from a vaccine advisory panel, according to people with knowledge of the events.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Alyssa Pointer/Reuters Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe

A curious news story emerged in New York last week. It involved the mayor’s race, a reporter from the news outlet The City and a bag of chips.Michael Forsythe, a reporter on the investigations team at The New York Times, explains how the episode fits into a larger story about how China has been attempting to influence American politics.Guest: Michael Forsythe, a reporter on the investigations team at The New York Times.Background reading: In the past few years, community organizations have quietly foiled the careers of politicians who opposed China’s authoritarian government.Times reporters witnessed supporters of the New York mayor, Eric Adams, handing out cash-filled envelopes. Sometimes, that money went to reporters from Chinese-language outlets.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Shuran Huang for The New York Times Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politic

President Trump’s decision to try to fire a member of the Federal Reserve’s governing board is his most audacious attack yet on the independence of the central bank.Ben Casselman, chief economics correspondent for The New York Times, discusses why Mr. Trump’s route to controlling the Fed passes through the governor, an economics professor named Lisa Cook.Guest: Ben Casselman, the chief economics correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Mr. Trump’s move to fire Ms. Cook is a legally dubious maneuver that could undermine the independence of the nation’s central bank.Seeking to retool the Fed, Mr. Trump risks upending a pillar of the global economy.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Seemingly overnight, Americans have become obsessed with pumping as much protein as possible into every drink, snack and meal.Elizabeth Dunn, a writer and contributor to The Times, explains the origins of this latest nutrition craze.Guest: Elizabeth Dunn, a writer and contributor to The New York Times.Background reading: The David bar, basically a protein Scud missile wrapped in gold foil, has had breakout success. But can the trend last?Read a fact-check about some of the big claims made about protein.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: David Chow for The New York Times Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The race to dominate artificial intelligence has become a scramble for talent, with tech companies offering pay packages of $250 million and poaching their competitors’ best employees.Mike Isaac, who covers the tech sector for The Times, explains why all the hype is raising fears that A.I. could become the next big bubble.Guest: Mike Isaac, a New York Times reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area, covering tech companies and Silicon Valley.Background reading: To navigate the recruitment frenzy, many A.I. researchers have turned to unofficial agents to strategize.Life for workers at Silicon Valley’s biggest tech companies has changed as the behemoth firms have aged into large bureaucracies.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Photo Illustration by Ihor Lukianenko, via Getty Images Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at

Stories of romantic love are everywhere, but the actor, singer and comedian Bridget Everett says that friendships deserve our attention, too. Onscreen and in everyday life.Last Fall, Everett appeared on Modern Love to talk about her HBO Original series “Somebody Somewhere,” which centers on a close friendship. Now she’s nominated for an Emmy Award for writing the show, along with Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen.In “Somebody Somewhere,” Everett stars as Sam, a woman struggling with grief and self-doubt after losing her sister. As Sam grows closer to her friend Joel — played by Jeff Hiller, an Outstanding Supporting Actor nominee — the future starts to look more bearable.In this episode of Modern Love, Everett tells Anna Martin why she’s looking for a friendship like the one Sam and Joel have on the show. She also reads a Modern Love essay called “When Your Greatest Romance Is a Friendship,” by Victor Lodato. Lodato was in his 40s when he fell into a platonic life partnership with an artist in her 80s, who lived ac

The former evangelical star on waking up halfway through her life. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Texas is about to gerrymander five new house seats, and California is ready to retaliate. Gov. Gavin Newsom says that his state will also redraw its congressional maps to create five new districts, effectively fighting fire with fire.Laurel Rosenhall, who covers California’s government and politics, discusses whether the state’s voters will actually go for this plan, whether it’ll work if they do, and what is at stake either way.Guest: Laurel Rosenhall, a New York Times reporter covering California politics and government.Background reading: Mr. Newsom and Democratic state lawmakers moved quickly to create new districts that could help their party flip five congressional seats.The Texas House approved a congressional map intended to help Republicans win five more U.S. House seats.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Mike Blake/Reuters Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everythi

Warning: This episode contains strong language.In President Trump’s second term, Laura Loomer has emerged as the most influential outside adviser, telling the president whom to fire and shaping major policy decisions.Ken Bensinger, who covers media and politics, explains how a social media provocateur became Mr. Trump’s favorite blunt instrument.Guest: Ken Bensinger, a New York Times reporter covering media and politics.Background reading: Ms. Loomer is Mr. Trump’s blunt instrument.Her role in firings at the National Security Council showed a rising sway of fringe figures on the president.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Greg Kahn for The New York Times Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Across the country, public schools are facing steep declines in enrollment, while the movement to use public funds for private education grows.Dana Goldstein, who covers education and families for The New York Times, explains why so many parents are using taxpayer money to privately educate their children — and what this means for American education.Guest: Dana Goldstein, a reporter covering education and families for The New York Times.Background reading: A decline in the number of children and rise in the number of choices has created a crisis for public schools.In July, Congress approved the first national school voucher plan, helping to pay for private education.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Zack Wittman for The New York Times Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and S

European leaders raced to Washington to show their support for President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine as he met with President Trump on Monday.It was their first face-to-face meeting at the White House since their disastrous blowup in the Oval Office in February.Michael Schwirtz, who covers global intelligence, explains how and why Mr. Zelensky’s approach has changed.Guest: Michael Schwirtz, the global intelligence correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Can Mr. Zelensky trust Mr. Trump? Ukraine’s fate may depend on the answer.Mr. Zelensky and other European leaders have learned a thing or two about negotiating with Mr. Trump.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

From Iowa to New York, Republican members of Congress have struggled to answer constituents’ tough questions about their party’s agenda, with several town hall meetings turning angry and going viral.Republican leaders have told lawmakers to stop holding them all together.Representative Mike Flood of Nebraska has ignored that advice. The congressman speaks about the disappearance of an American political tradition and why he thinks it is worth preserving.Guest: Representative Mike Flood, Republican of NebraskaBackground reading: Representative Flood faced his hometown voters. It wasn’t pretty.From March: Republican House members were told to stop holding in-person town halls.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Scott Morgan/Reuters Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Sam Graham-Felsen never imagined being lonely. Throughout his childhood and as a young man his life revolved around his friends. But when Sam got married and then had kids, going out with his friends almost felt like a luxury. After years of focusing on everything in his life except friendship, Sam began to realize he was missing something essential, and he decided to get his friends back.On this episode of “Modern Love,” Mr. Graham-Felsen describes how he went from being a boy with a wealth of deep friendships to finding himself feeling lonely as an adult, and what he did to bring friendship back into his life.Read his essay “Where Have All My Deep Male Friendships Gone?” in The New York Times Magazine.Find new episodes of Modern Love every Wednesday. Follow the show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube |iHeartRadio Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple

Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.comWatch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastFor transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Today, President Trump and the Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, are meeting on U.S. soil for the first time, to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine.David E. Sanger, the White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times, discusses the wide range of possible outcomes and why, no matter what happens, the meeting is a win for Mr. Putin. Guest: David E. Sanger, the White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Mr. Trump said he was going to the meeting to see what Mr. Putin “has in mind.”The U.S. president is pushing to end the war in Ukraine, but analysts say the Russian leader could turn a hastily planned meeting to his advantage.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts

Warning: This episode contains strong language.This summer, The New York Times put out a list of the top 100 movies of the past 25 years. It prompted furious debate about what movies stand the test of time, why they matter and what those movies tell us about ourselves.Kyle Buchanan, a pop culture reporter for The Times, discusses how the list came to be, and actors and directors including Celine Song, Molly Ringwald and Ebon Moss-Bachrach speak about their votes.Guest: Kyle Buchanan, who is a pop culture reporter and serves as The Projectionist, the awards season columnist for The New York Times.Background reading: Read the list of the 100 best movies of the 21st century so far.Here’s how The Times decided on the list.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Jake May/The Flint Journal-MLive.com, via Associated Press Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop

Over the past few weeks, the most senior intelligence officials in the federal government have released a series of new documents which they claim shows that, starting in 2016, President Barack Obama and his deputies carried out a criminal conspiracy against President Trump.Michael S. Schmidt, an investigative reporter for The Times, explains what’s behind the sudden re-emergence on the Trump-Russia saga, and what happens when heads of the C.I.A., F.B.I. and Justice Department all turn their attention to the president’s domestic enemies.Guest: Michael S. Schmidt, an investigative reporter for The New York Times, covering Washington.Background reading: In targeting Mr. Obama, Mr. Trump’s retribution campaign has taken another turn.A spokesman for Mr. Obama said that Mr. Trump’s accusations were ”ridiculous” and “weak.”For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Kenny Holston/The New York Times Unlock full ac

President Trump said on Monday that he would take control of the Washington, D.C., police department and send hundreds of National Guard troops to the city.Devlin Barrett, who covers the F.B.I. for The New York Times, explains why the president says this is necessary and how it fits into his broader strategy for dealing with cities run by Democrats.Guest: Devlin Barrett, a New York Times reporter covering the Justice Department and the F.B.I.Background reading: Trump ordered the National Guard to Washington and a takeover of the capital’s police.But crime is down in Washington.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Kent Nishimura for The New York Times Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Last week, President Trump hit many countries with yet another round of punishing tariffs. So far, the economy has been resilient in the face of his trade war, but it’s unclear how long that will last.Andrew Ross Sorkin, editor-at-large of DealBook, discusses what C.E.O.s are telling him about the president’s tariffs, and where they think all of this is headed.Guest: Andrew Ross Sorkin, a columnist and the founder and editor-at-large of DealBook for The New York Times.Background reading: Staggering U.S. tariffs began last week as Mr. Trump widened his trade war.From DealBook: Mr. Trump’s higher tariffs are here. Now what?For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Jim Watson/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.