The Daily
This is what the news should sound like. The biggest stories of our time, told by the best journalists in the world. Hosted by Michael Barbaro, Rachel Abrams and Natalie Kitroeff. Twenty minutes a day, six days a week, ready by 6 a.m. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher.
Get AI-powered summaries of The Daily
Never miss key insights. Receive episode summaries straight to your inbox.
Recent Episodes
The Voters Who Flipped Congress
Nov 05, 2026The midterm elections were an electoral tsunami for Democrats: a complete collapse of the Republican coalition and a landslide victory. Nate Cohn, the chief political analyst for The New York Times, ...
Summary Preview
The Daily analyzes the 2022 midterm election results with chief political analyst Nate Cohn, examining the unprecedented Democratic victories across Senate, House, and gubernatorial races. The conversation explores voter turnout patterns, candidate performance, campaign spending effectiveness, and polling accuracy, revealing how a more diverse electorate and reaction against Trump's policies drove Democratic gains in traditionally red states.
- Election Results Overview: A Democratic Tsunami
- The Diverse Electorate: Black and Hispanic Voter Surge
A Landslide Victory for Democrats
Nov 04, 2026On Tuesday night, the blue wave that polls predicted landed with extraordinary force across the United States as Democrats flipped control of both the House and the Senate. Nate Cohn, Lisa Lerer and ...
Summary Preview
In this episode of The Daily, recorded in the early hours after the 2024 midterm elections, political analysts discuss the historic Democratic wave that delivered sweeping victories across the country. Democrats flipped control of both the House and Senate, winning seats in traditionally Republican strongholds like Texas, South Carolina, and Kansas. The results represent a massive repudiation of President Trump's policies and leadership, with his coalition collapsing across demographic groups. The episode examines what this means for both parties' futures and features a phone call with President Trump as he processes the defeat.
- The Scale of the Democratic Victory
- The Collapse of Trump's Coalition
A Guide to Election Night 2026
Nov 03, 2026After two years of campaigning, the 2026 midterm election is now in the hands of the American voters. As the ballot counting begins, Nate Cohn, the chief political analyst for The New York Times, off...
Summary Preview
In this election night guide for the 2026 midterms, Chief Political Analyst Nate Cohn breaks down four possible scenarios for how the night could unfold, from a modest Democratic House victory to a generational tsunami. While Democrats are heavily favored to take the House, the Senate remains a major question mark, requiring them to flip at least two Trump+10 states. Final Times polling shows Democrats leading in all seven key Senate battlegrounds, with particularly strong numbers in Michigan (11-point lead) and weaker ones in Alaska (1-point lead). Cohn walks through the timing of results, the risk of polling errors, and what early vote data suggests, while acknowledging that scenario four—a Democratic landslide not seen since Watergate—is what the data currently points toward, even if it seems hard to believe in our polarized era.
- The Four Wave Scenarios for Election Night
- Scenario One: Republicans Stay Dry
A Political Rebellion in the Rio Grande Valley
Nov 02, 2026Warning: This episode contains strong language. In the midterm elections, one of the regions expected to swing away from President Trump and toward Democrats is the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, where ...
Summary Preview
In the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, a historically Democratic region with a heavily Latino population, the Trump administration's immigration raids have devastated the construction industry and sparked an unprecedented political shift. The South Texas Builders Association, many of whose members voted for Trump, now finds themselves fighting against the very policies they supported as their workforce disappears and the American Dream they've built becomes endangered.
- The Raids Begin and Confusion Sets In
- The Rio Grande Valley's Complex Immigration Reality
Want to Enjoy Music More? Go For a Run.
Nov 01, 2026Ben Ratliff, a music critic and avid runner, always ran in silence. Then he discovered how music opened up to him — while running. It changed his entire approach to criticism and listening. He calls i...
Summary Preview
Music critic Ben Ratliff discusses his unique approach to listening to music through running, arguing that running can transform passive listening into an active, immersive experience. After feeling disconnected from music despite having state-of-the-art listening equipment, Ratliff discovered that physical movement helped him truly inhabit the music in ways stationary listening never could. For the NYC Marathon, he curated a five-borough playlist that demonstrates how running can unlock deeper appreciation for music's spatial, rhythmic, and emotional qualities.
- From Music Critic to Disillusioned Listener
- The Running Revelation
The writer-director, known for his dark and bleak work, believes in film’s power to change our lives. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheIntervie...
Summary Preview
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Martin McDonagh discusses his new film Wild Horse Nine, his approach to violence and provocation in art, the evolution of his work from theater to film, and how his punk rock roots continue to inform his artistic sensibilities. The conversation explores themes of legacy, male friendship, political engagement, and the tension between creating provocative art while maintaining moral integrity.
- America's Moral Ambiguity and the CIA in Chile
- The Darkness and Hope in McDonagh's Work
In the final stretch of the midterm election campaign, polls have found that voters are latching onto the perceived corruption of the Trump administration. Kenneth P. Vogel, a New York Times investig...
Summary Preview
This episode of The Daily explores how the pardon process under President Trump has evolved into a lucrative 'pardon industry' where wealthy individuals with connections to Trump or his inner circle can secure clemency through lobbying, donations, and direct appeals. Reporter Ken Vogel traces the development from Trump's first-term criminal justice reform efforts to a transactional system where influence-peddlers charge enormous fees to help clients obtain pardons.
- The Emergence of Corruption as a Top Campaign Issue
- Trump's Unique Approach to Presidential Pardons
An investigation from The New York Times has uncovered how two candidates named Dan Sullivan ended up on the ballot for U.S. Senate in Alaska and the secret role that Democrats played in making it hap...
Summary Preview
The Daily investigates how Democrats secretly orchestrated getting a second candidate named Dan Sullivan onto Alaska's Senate ballot to hurt Republican incumbent Senator Dan Sullivan's re-election chances. Reporter Kellen Browning's investigation reveals a coordinated effort by the Peltola campaign and national Democrats to recruit candidates who would split the Republican vote, contradicting months of Democratic denials.
- The Two Dan Sullivans Mystery
- Investigating Dan J. Sullivan in Petersburg
A look at candidates from President Trump’s party who are running on a platform of criticizing him. In next week’s midterm elections, a specific kind of Republican candidate is appealing to disillus...
Summary Preview
This Daily episode examines how moderate Republican Senate candidates are attempting to win in 2026 midterms by distancing themselves from President Trump, whose approval ratings have dropped into the 30s. The episode focuses on races in Maine and New Hampshire where old-school Republicans like Susan Collins and John E. Sununu are running on independent, bipartisan records that predate Trump—betting that rejecting MAGA politics can appeal to independents and crossover Democrats. The episode explores whether this formula could reshape the Republican Party's future.
- Maine Voter David Bessie: The Anti-MAGA Republican Dilemma
- Susan Collins: The Old-School Republican Brand
On July 4, 2025, a group of 10 antifa protesters was arrested, accused of what the federal government called a planned attack on the Prairieland detention facility in Texas. They were prosecuted as te...
Summary Preview
This episode examines the prosecution of activists arrested outside an ICE detention center in Texas on July 4, 2025, where a police officer was shot. The case became the first federal prosecution of domestic protesters as terrorists under material support charges, raising profound questions about how the Trump administration's directives targeting left-wing activism are transforming the legal definition of terrorism in America.
- The Prairie Land Incident: A Protest Turns Violent
- Texas Activism and the Rise of the Socialist Rifle Association
The $10 Billion Midterm Ad War
Oct 26, 2026The midterms are shaping up to be the most expensive election cycle in history as campaigns pour huge sums into the ads voters see virtually everywhere. Today, Shane Goldmacher, a national political ...
Summary Preview
This episode of The Daily examines the 2026 midterm election advertising campaigns, analyzing the contrasting narratives both Democrats and Republicans are crafting in the final weeks before Election Day. Reporter Shane Goldmacher, who monitors hundreds of campaign ads, breaks down how Democrats are linking Trump's unpopularity and Republican corruption to rising costs of living, while Republicans defend their record, distance themselves from Trump in swing districts, and attack Democrats as too extreme. The discussion includes analysis of specific ads across battleground races and explores a controversial Ohio ad that sparked bipartisan condemnation.
- The Power and Purpose of Campaign Advertising
- The Democratic Story: Trump Failed You on Cost of Living
Tricks, Treats and Trends
Oct 25, 2026Americans are expected to spend a record $13.5 billion on Halloween this year, according to the National Retail Federation. That includes costumes, decorations and lots of candy. In this episode of “...
Summary Preview
This Halloween-themed episode of The Daily explores how Americans celebrate Halloween in 2026, examining three key aspects: the evolution of candy preferences toward sour and fruity flavors, the most distinctly 2026 costume trends, and the phenomenon of elaborate Halloween decorations, particularly the viral 12-foot Home Depot skeleton.
- The Changing Landscape of Halloween Candy
- 2026 Halloween Costume Trends
The Democratic nominee for governor on her appeal to MAGA voters and her refusal to engage in the "culture wars.” Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] our show on YouTube: youtube.com/...
Summary Preview
Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa discusses her unlikely journey from state representative to neck-and-neck contender against Republican incumbent Greg Abbott. In this wide-ranging interview, she frames the 2026 race as a populist fight against tech giants and corporate influence rather than traditional culture wars, while addressing immigration, abortion rights, and her strategy to break the Democratic losing streak in Texas.
- The Populist Campaign and Economic Messaging
- Data Centers and Rural Texas Anger
The Battle Over Black Representation in the South
Oct 23, 2026The approach to this year’s midterms has brought two hugely consequential changes to voting for Black Americans: the gutting of the Voting Rights Act, and redistricting. In the wake of those actions, ...
Summary Preview
This episode of The Daily examines how the 2024 Supreme Court ruling weakening the Voting Rights Act, combined with Republican-led redistricting efforts, is fundamentally reshaping Black political representation across the South. Reporter Emily Cochran travels through southern states to document how majority-Black districts that have elected Democratic representatives for decades are being carved up, potentially eliminating Democratic representation entirely in states with the highest Black populations in America.
- The Voting Rights Act and Its Erosion
- Immediate Republican Response: Tennessee, Louisiana, and Alabama
The Election That Will Define Israel’s Future
Oct 22, 2026Israelis head to the polls next week. On the ballot is the future of a country that has become isolated on the world stage, because of both its war in Gaza and a growing outcry over settler violence i...
Summary Preview
This episode of The Daily examines the upcoming Israeli election through the lens of two contrasting candidates: incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and challenger Gadi Eisenkot. The election is viewed as existential by Israelis on both sides, centering on issues of democracy, security, military service equity, and the future character of the Jewish state—rather than Palestinian statehood, which neither side supports.
- The Stakes: An Existential Election
- The October 7th Shadow and Democratic Crisis
The economy is one of the most important issues for voters in the midterm elections. President Trump has been trying to persuade Americans that they are wrong to be frustrated about the cost of living...
Summary Preview
In this Daily episode, Chief Economics Correspondent Ben Castleman analyzes the latest economic data before the midterms, revealing a nuanced picture: while business investment and the stock market are strong, Americans face a serious affordability crisis driven by persistent inflation, high interest rates, and stagnant wage growth. President Trump's policies, particularly tariffs and the Iran conflict, have worsened inflation rather than solving it, creating a political liability despite some positive economic indicators.
- The Affordability Crisis: Three Key Factors
- Interest Rates and the Housing Market Nightmare
James Talarico on His Plan to Turn Texas Blue
Oct 20, 2026James Talarico is asking Texas to do something it hasn’t done in nearly 40 years: Elect a Democrat to the U.S. Senate. It won’t be easy. It will take a vast coalition of Democrats, independents and Re...
Summary Preview
In this episode of The Daily, Michael Barbaro interviews Texas State Representative James Tallarico, who is running to become the first Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from Texas in nearly 40 years. The conversation explores Tallarico's journey from public school teacher to state legislator, his appeal to both Democratic and Republican voters, his response to the $200 million negative campaign against him, and his vision for systemic political reform focused on fighting corruption and lowering costs for working families.
- The Historic Senate Race and Republican Opposition
- The Rage Economy and Personal Attacks
Inside Putin’s Plan to Cripple Ukraine This Winter
Oct 19, 2026President Trump said he was making an energy deal with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and waiving new sanctions on Moscow. Now, he’s feuding with Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelensky. Russia i...
Summary Preview
This episode examines the deteriorating relationship between the United States and Ukraine, as President Trump publicly feuds with President Zelensky while Russia launches one of its most devastating bombing campaigns of the war. The episode explores Russia's strategic winter offensive targeting civilian infrastructure, Ukraine's vulnerability due to limited air defenses, and the potential consequences of reduced American support as Moscow attempts to bomb Ukraine into submission.
- The Collapse of U.S.-Ukraine Relations
- Russia's Devastating Bombing Campaign
Elizabeth Holmes and Nathan Fielder Keep Us Guessing
Oct 18, 2026The comedian Nathan Fielder came to fame as the creator and host of the Comedy Central series “Nathan for You.” The show followed Fielder as he devised outrageous schemes, ostensibly with the aim of h...
Summary Preview
In this episode of The Daily, film critics Alyssa Wilkinson and Jason Zinoman discuss Nathan Fielder's documentary 'You Can See Everything' about Elizabeth Holmes. They explore how Fielder's unique approach to documentary filmmaking—blurring reality and fiction, inserting himself into situations, and questioning the ethics of manipulation—creates a groundbreaking film that challenges viewers' perceptions of both Holmes and the documentary form itself.
- The Phenomenon of 'You Can See Everything'
- Elizabeth Holmes: A Story Already Told
The longtime friends and creative partners on what U2 still means — and what would make them call it quits. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheIn...
Summary Preview
In this wide-ranging interview recorded in Dublin during U2's 50th anniversary celebrations, Bono and The Edge discuss their new album 'Carnival Deleuze,' the band's enduring ambitions, their approach to faith and spirituality in rock music, and their thoughts on the current political climate. The conversation explores how the band continues to pursue creative excellence after five decades, their philosophy of defiant joy in dark times, and their evolving relationship with audiences and the music industry.
- U2's Enduring Ambition and Purpose After 50 Years
- Faith, God, and the Gospel-Blues Fusion in U2's Music