Matter of Opinion

Christopher Rufo's mission to make universities to feel "existential terror." (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) 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.

This week, your beloved hosts gather for the last time to respond to listener feedback, reflect on the state of American politics and look ahead to a new show. If you’re curious about how Carlos prepares for an episode or how the history books will remember Trump or what’s next for this feed, this is the episode for you. (A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

How many times has your soul been saved? Probably not as many times as Michelle Cottle’s. In this episode, Michelle, Carlos and Ross discuss Ross’s new book, “Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious,” and explore the role religion should play in our lives and society. (A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

ow much is President Trump testing the Constitution? And what are the other branches of government doing about it? This week, David French and Jamelle Bouie join Carlos and Michelle to discuss how the courts and Congress could respond to Trump’s latest actions and whether the Constitution is strong enough to withstand the challenges. Plus, the best-dressed Opinion columnist makes the case for his latest fashion obsession. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

Gone are the days of pussy hats and massive protests. Where is the resistance to Donald Trump’s second term? Lydia Polgreen and David French join this week to talk about the muted outcry to Trump and Musk’s plans to upend the federal government and where the most effective forms of resistance may show up. Recommended in this episode: Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed TwitterThoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website. 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.

This week, Ross Douthat talks to Steve Bannon, the chief strategist from Donald Trump’s first term and part of the original MAGA movement. Despite his clashes with new factions emerging in the Republican Party, Bannon argues that Trump is still central to advancing a populist agenda. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

Are we living through “American Carnage” the sequel, or Donald Trump’s “Golden Age”? This week, Ross and Carlos welcome back Lydia to take stock of the president’s first days in office and debate what his many norm-bending actions reveal about how he plans to govern. Plus, Lydia starts an adventure in mediocrity. (A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.) Recommended in this episode: What I Learned When I Read 887 Pages of Project 2025Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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 tech investor Marc Andreessen and his fellow Silicon Valley giant Elon Musk weren’t always the Donald Trump supporters they are today. In this episode, Ross asks Andreessen, a founder of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, about what led to Silicon Valley’s rightward shift and the new agenda of the tech-right faction. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

Is Joe Biden more of a Jimmy Carter or a James Buchanan? It may be years before the outgoing president’s legacy is truly understood, but that didn’t stop the hosts from debating how Biden’s term in office will be remembered. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

We’ll be back next week with a new episode, but in the meantime we’re kicking off 2025 with a great conversation from our friends at “The Opinions.” In this episode, the New York Times Opinion columnist David French, a lifelong evangelical, speaks to Jonathan Rauch, an atheist and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, about the crisis of Christianity in the United States and how faith might be the only way to redeem democracy. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

In this special year-end conversation, Carlos and his columnist colleague Pamela Paul each share one book that can help us understand and define our current moment. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

Happy holidays! Our gift to you is full access to a recent subscribers-only bonus episode. After a “stranger than fiction” presidential race, the hosts take a deep dive into the messy movie and television plots that actually put this election to shame. Enjoy! (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

While we are off this week, we wanted to share a great piece from our colleagues. President Biden has only a few weeks left in office. Here’s what he could do to optimize that remaining time — and improve his legacy. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

Is Donald Trump the chicken or the egg? On the cusp of his second administration, the hosts of dissect whether the president-elect is a cause or symptom of trends in popular culture. Plus, Michelle brings all the nostalgia to the Christmas party. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Recommended in this episode: The Shape of WaterYellowstoneWhite Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About RacismErasureAmerican FictionThe Elementary ParticlesThe Plot Against AmericaIt Can’t Happen HereReagan: His Life and LegendThoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

We are off for Thanksgiving. But we have a special treat for you from “The Opinions,” a fellow New York Times Opinion podcast. After our own Carlos Lozada immigrated to the U.S. from Peru as a child, he never felt being an immigrant was his overriding identity. But after years of hearing Donald Trump talk about immigration, his feelings have changed. If you enjoyed this, subscribe to "The Opinions" wherever you get your podcasts. 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.

After a “stranger than fiction” presidential race, the hosts take a deep dive into the messy movie and television plots that actually put this election to shame. Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

On this episode, Ross is joined by his good friend Reihan Salam, a former housemate and co-author and the president of the Manhattan Institute. As young conservatives, the two teamed up in the waning days of the George W. Bush era to write “Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream.” After Donald Trump’s second election victory, the two look back at their prescriptions and debate what they got right and wrong about building a durable Republican majority. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

As nominees roll in, the reality of Donald Trump’s second administration is rapidly coming into focus. This week, Ross is joined by Opinion columnist David French to discuss the surprising picks and what they signal about the incoming president’s policy shifts this time around. (A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.) Recommended in this episode: There Will Always Be a Trump. That’s Only Part of the Problem.What JD Vance BelievesDonald Trump Is Dead Serious About Getting Matt Gaetz to DOJThoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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 Democratic Party needs to take a look in the mirror, and fast. This week, our old friend Lydia Polgreen joins the hosts to dissect what went wrong for Democrats, and what kind of leadership the party needs to win back voters in Trump’s America. Plus, something to do other than doomscrolling. (A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.) Recommended in this episode: A Party of Prigs and Pontificators Suffers a Humiliating DefeatStop Pretending Trump Is Not Who We AreToshi ReagonThoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

In this special post-election episode, the hosts take stock of Donald Trump’s triumphant night and what a return of his right-wing populism says about America. (A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.