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 and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher.
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Recent Episodes
The United States is undergoing one of the biggest changes to its social safety net in recent history, with huge numbers of people getting dropped from the government’s food assistance program. Nowher...
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This episode investigates the dramatic impact of federal SNAP (food stamp) program changes, focusing on Arizona where half a million people have lost benefits. Reporters Jason DeParle, Olivia Nat, and Anna Foley visit Phoenix to document how new administrative requirements and funding changes have created bureaucratic gridlock, leaving eligible families unable to access food assistance despite remaining qualified for aid.
- The Scale of SNAP Reductions in Arizona
- The Republican Rationale and Funding Changes
In Michigan, a race for U.S. Senate is not only testing the growing appeal of left-wing populism. It could also be a turning point in a long-running debate among Democratic voters about the importance...
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In this episode of The Daily, political correspondent Michael Cruz reports from Michigan on a pivotal Democratic Senate primary between progressive Abdul El-Sayed and moderate Haley Stevens. The race represents a critical test of whether left-wing populism can succeed in swing states and challenges traditional Democratic thinking about electability. Through on-the-ground reporting with both campaigns and voters, the episode explores how Democratic voters are grappling with whether to follow their hearts or their strategic calculations in choosing a candidate who can defeat Republican Mike Rogers in November.
- The Stakes of Michigan's Democratic Primary
- Meet the Candidates: Progressive vs. Moderate
The Tangled Tale of the Tate Brothers and the Trumps
Aug 03, 2026Warning: This episode contains strong language. Over the past decade, the Tate brothers have built a global empire around pornography, hypermasculinity and overt misogyny. At the same time, they hav...
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This episode of The Daily examines the Tate brothers' decade-long journey building a global empire around pornography and misogyny, facing multiple assault and trafficking allegations across countries, and ultimately forming strategic alliances with Trump family members and administration officials. Reporter Megan Twohey reveals how these connections helped the brothers escape legal consequences in Romania, only to face arrest in Miami and new criminal charges in the UK, leading their powerful allies to distance themselves.
- The Miami Arrest and Trump Administration Involvement
- The Tates' Origins and Early Criminal Allegations
For decades, the kitchen was the centerpiece of Yewande Komolafe’s life. She spent long hours there, first as a restaurant cook and later as a recipe developer. But though she loved the often-intense ...
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In this intimate and inspiring episode, Yawande Komalafe, a New York Times cooking columnist and cookbook author, shares her extraordinary journey of returning to her passion for food after nearly dying from a sickle cell crisis. After waking from a six-week coma to discover she had lost nine fingers and both legs below the knee, Komalafe discusses how food became essential to her physical and emotional recovery, and how she adapted her recipe development process to continue creating in her kitchen despite profound physical changes.
- Understanding Sickle Cell Disease and Life Before Crisis
- A Typical Day as a Recipe Developer
The Fight Tearing Apart Silicon Valley
Jul 31, 2026For years, a debate has been simmering in Silicon Valley over the right way to build artificial intelligence. Should it be open and free for anyone to use, or should we tightly control how it’s made a...
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The Daily explores a major debate dividing Silicon Valley over how AI should be developed and shared. The episode examines the conflict between OpenAI and Anthropic, who advocate for closed, controlled AI development for safety reasons, versus Meta, Microsoft, NVIDIA and other tech giants pushing for open source AI models. The debate intensified after China released a powerful open source AI model and reached a boiling point when industry leaders launched coordinated campaigns to influence Washington policymakers on AI regulation.
- Mark Zuckerberg's Strategic Phone Call
- The Great AI Divide: Open vs Closed Development
Europe Is Burning
Jul 30, 2026This summer, wildfires have been raging across Europe. France and Spain have been hit particularly badly, with hundreds of thousands of acres incinerated and entire communities devastated. Chico Har...
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This episode examines the devastating 2026 wildfires sweeping across France and Spain, exploring how record-breaking heat waves fueled by climate change have created unprecedented destruction. The discussion reveals how Europe's infrastructure, designed for cooler climates, is struggling to cope with extreme heat that has killed tens of thousands, while examining the tension between economic anxiety and climate policy ambitions.
- The Scale of Europe's Heat Crisis and Deadly Consequences
- Why Europe Is Warming Faster Than Other Regions
Israel, AIPAC and Difficult Questions for Democrats
Jul 29, 2026The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, a pro-Israel lobbying group known as AIPAC, has spent a record amount of money in this year’s midterm elections to either oust or support candidates based...
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This episode of The Daily examines AIPAC's evolution from a bipartisan pro-Israel lobbying group to a polarizing force in American politics. Reporter Jonathan Mahler traces how AIPAC's strategic decisions—particularly its creation of a super PAC and aggressive spending in Democratic primaries—have inadvertently contributed to deteriorating U.S.-Israel relations and made support for Israel a divisive litmus test on the left, especially following October 7th and the war in Gaza.
- The Changing U.S.-Israel Political Landscape
- AIPAC's Origins as a Bipartisan Force
The Iranians Who Want More War
Jul 28, 2026Fractures in Tehran are pitting a faction favoring negotiation with Washington against hard-liners who oppose making a deal with the United States. Guest: Abdi Latif Dahir, a Middle East corres...
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This episode of The Daily examines the deep divisions within Iran's government over whether to continue fighting or pursue peace with the United States. Following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, reporter Abdi Latif Tahir was granted rare access to attend the funeral ceremonies in Tehran, where he witnessed intense calls for revenge despite a tentative peace deal. The episode reveals a profound split between hardline religious factions demanding continued conflict and pragmatic leaders seeking diplomatic solutions, all while the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei remains largely absent and unable to unify the fractured leadership.
- Inside Iran: A Choreographed Funeral with Unscripted Anger
- Ships Attacked: The Peace Deal Crumbles
What A.I. Is Actually Doing to the Economy
Jul 27, 2026As artificial intelligence becomes more advanced, people are getting more nervous about how it could change the economy and their jobs. Ben Casselman, the chief economics correspondent for The New Y...
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The Daily examines how artificial intelligence is transforming the economy, exploring why its current impact remains difficult to measure despite widespread anxiety about job losses. Economics correspondent Ben Castleman explains that while AI could reshape work as dramatically as the Industrial Revolution, we're still in the early adoption phase. The episode draws parallels to two pivotal 1990s disruptions—the internet revolution and the China trade shock—to illustrate how the speed and concentration of AI's rollout will determine whether it creates gradual adaptation or devastating job losses.
- The Measurement Problem: Why We Can't Track AI's Impact
- Companies Using AI as a Convenient Scapegoat
Why Do Some Memories Survive Dementia?
Jul 26, 2026When the Times reporter Ellen Barry’s father developed dementia after a fall, her family spent years trying to manage his erratic behavior and confusion. They struggled to convince him that he was hom...
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Ellen Barry, a New York Times reporter, shares the deeply personal story of her father's decline from vascular dementia following a traumatic brain injury. What began as a plan to create a multi-generational household transformed into a four-year journey of confusion, wandering, and locked doors. Years after his death, a neuroscientist helped Ellen understand the physiological basis for her father's disorientation and why certain memories—like losing a canary at age six—remained perfectly preserved while recent experiences vanished.
- The Multi-Generational Dream and Sudden Injury
- Strange Delusions and the Seven Birdbaths
New York’s star center on playing for his mom, Patrick Ewing. generations of emotional fans — and himself. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] Watch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@T...
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NBA champion Carl Anthony Towns reflects on the New York Knicks' historic first championship in 53 years, discussing the emotional playoff run, his mother's memory fueling him, and what it means to bring joy to New York City. The seven-foot center shares insights on the team's dramatic comeback in Game 4 of the Finals, his relationship with teammates, the experience of being traded from Minnesota to his hometown team, and the privilege of representing hope for generations of Knicks fans.
- The Surreal Reality of Winning a Championship
- The Miraculous Game 4 Comeback
This month, President Trump announced the start of “Trump accounts,” an investment device that could eventually help address the nation’s wealth gap. Claire Cain Miller, who covers families and educ...
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This episode examines Trump accounts, a new investment initiative embedded in President Trump's second-term legislation that provides $1,000 to babies born during his presidency to invest in the stock market. While the program has bipartisan support and aims to address America's wealth gap, enrollment remains surprisingly low, particularly among the low-income families who would benefit most, raising concerns the policy could inadvertently widen rather than narrow economic inequality.
- The Origins and Bipartisan Appeal of Trump Accounts
- How Trump Accounts Work
The United States signed a landmark deal on Wednesday that allows Saudi Arabia to develop a nuclear program. At the same time, President Trump is escalating the war in Iran, a conflict that the White ...
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This episode examines the United States' historic nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia, which allows the kingdom to develop nuclear reactors and potentially produce its own nuclear fuel. The deal raises significant concerns about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, particularly as it comes with looser restrictions than previous agreements. The timing is especially notable given the ongoing U.S. war with Iran and the administration's stated goal of preventing Iranian nuclear capabilities.
- The Origins and Evolution of the Saudi Nuclear Deal
- The Biden Administration's Failed Grand Bargain
To address the United States’ acute housing shortage, Congress recently passed a landmark piece of legislation designed to encourage the construction of new homes. The problem is that President Trum...
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This Daily episode examines how Congress passed historic housing legislation while the Trump administration's immigration crackdown threatens the very immigrant workforce needed to build those homes. The episode traces how the U.S. construction industry transformed from a unionized, American-born workforce in the 1970s to one heavily dependent on immigrant labor, and explores the potential consequences of deporting workers central to solving America's housing crisis.
- The Housing Paradox: Landmark Legislation Meets Immigration Reality
- The Golden Era: 1970s Union Construction Jobs
The war in Iran has recently escalated in dangerous new ways, drawing in Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, as the Trump administration reeled from the Iranian killing of U.S. service members in Jordan...
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This episode examines the deadly escalation of conflict between the U.S. and Iran following the collapse of their ceasefire, marked by the killing of multiple U.S. service members in Jordan and Iraq. Pentagon reporter Eric Schmidt reveals how the Trump administration has significantly reduced transparency about the war just as it intensifies, with Iran demonstrating renewed military capabilities despite earlier claims of destruction, and the conflict expanding to involve multiple Middle Eastern nations and threatening critical regional waterways.
- Fatal Attack on U.S. Forces in Jordan
- Iran's Resilient Military Capabilities
More Trump Tariffs Are Coming
Jul 20, 2026At a moment when inflation and affordability are on virtually everyone’s mind in America, Jamieson Greer, the U.S. trade representative, said the Trump administration was planning a new slate of tarif...
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In this episode of The Daily, host Natalie Kittroff speaks with reporter Ana Swanson about her extensive interview with Jameson Greer, the U.S. Trade Representative and chief architect of President Trump's tariff policy. Despite mounting criticism, legal setbacks, and declining public opinion, Greer remains steadfast in his belief that tariffs are working and outlines plans for a new wave of trade measures. The conversation explores Greer's background, his formative experiences as a trade lawyer, and his unwavering commitment to reshaping American trade policy—even as the Supreme Court has struck down many of the administration's tariffs and required billions in refunds to companies.
- Jameson Greer's Background and Formation
- Trump's First Term Tariffs and Political Shift
The World Cup Final Is Here
Jul 19, 2026After a month of competition across North America and 103 matches, the 2026 World Cup is down to its final game. Spain and Argentina will meet this afternoon in a match expected to draw over one billi...
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In this World Cup final preview episode, sports correspondent Tarek Panja breaks down the historic matchup between Spain and Argentina. The tournament has delivered thrilling underdog stories, controversial moments, and now culminates in a clash between Spain's systematic, possession-based approach led by teenage phenom Lamine Yamal versus Argentina's passionate, Messi-centric team that has survived multiple comeback scenarios to reach the final.
- Tournament Highlights and Underdog Stories
- Sidney Lopez Cabral's Legendary Goal
Lulu Garcia-Navarro sits down for an interview with the mayor of New York City. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] Watch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcast For tra...
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New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani sits for his first major interview after six months in office, discussing his democratic socialist vision, political endorsements, stance on Israel-Palestine, relationships with business and law enforcement, and what it means to lead America's largest city while building a national progressive coalition.
- Presidential Threats and Democratic Socialism in Practice
- National Ambitions and the 2028 Election
The President, His Plane and the Press
Jul 17, 2026Last Friday night, F.B.I. agents showed up at the homes of several New York Times journalists and summoned them to testify before a grand jury. The move was a response by the Trump administration to...
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A New York Times investigation into safety concerns surrounding President Trump's new Air Force One leads to an unprecedented response from the Trump administration: FBI agents deliver subpoenas to Times reporters at their homes, demanding they testify before a grand jury. The episode explores the original reporting on security vulnerabilities in the Qatar-donated aircraft, the rushed leak investigation orchestrated from inside the White House, and the broader implications for press freedom.
- The Air Force One Story That Started It All
- Security Vulnerabilities in the New Air Force One
ICE Ramps Back Up, With Deadly Results
Jul 16, 2026Two fatal shootings by federal immigration agents in Texas and Maine have put the spotlight back on the Trump administration’s deportation tactics. Hamed Aleaziz, who reports on immigration policy, ...
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The Daily examines two fatal shootings by ICE agents in Texas and Maine that have reignited debate over Trump administration deportation tactics. The episode explores how these incidents signal a return to aggressive immigration enforcement driven by new hiring, reduced training, and increased arrest quotas, creating volatile situations where routine stops can turn deadly.
- Two Fatal Shootings by ICE Agents
- The Houston Victim: Lorenzo Salgado Araújo