The Opinions

Following the killing of the conservative political organizer Charlie Kirk, the Opinion national politics writer Michelle Cottle talks to the Opinion columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French about how to remember Kirk honestly and rising political violence in the country. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited b...

The Opinion columnist David Brooks, the contributing Opinion writer E.J. Dionne Jr. and the former host of NPR’s “All Things Considered” Robert Siegel convene to discuss the week’s news for The Conversation. They debate President Trump’s shows of strength and how voters and politicians — including members of Trump’s own party — are responding. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This ep...

President Trump’s attacks on the Smithsonian Museum for being too “woke” in its exhibits are part of a broader effort to control America’s story. Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer and the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, has created institutions that confront the nation’s painful past to preserve an honest vision of history. In this conversation with Jeffrey Toobin, he argues that while America ha...

Congress is back in session and there’s a lot on the agenda — from a potential government shutdown to the ongoing battle over the Epstein files. On this episode of “The Opinions,” the Opinion national politics writer Michelle Cottle is joined by the columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French to talk about whether the Democrats should shut down the government and Congress’s weakening role under Trum...

The Opinion columnist Thomas L. Friedman has been spending time in China studying the country’s A.I. ambitions and what they mean for the world. His conclusion: A.I. could become a “nuclear bazooka” unless the United States and China find a way to build trust and work together. In this conversation with the Opinion editor Bill Brink, Tom explains why global safety depends on it. Thoughts? Email us...

Maine has one of the highest rates of opioid use disorder in the nation. But a program at a rural Maine jail initiated by an addiction medicine specialist, Alane O’Connor, is offering hope and saving lives. She’s spearheading a pilot program that offers a monthly injection of the drug Sublocade to addicted inmates, which curbs opioid cravings continuously for a month. In this episode, she argues,...

From done-up hair to heavily applied makeup, conservative women — particularly those in President Trump’s orbit — deploy a specific aesthetic to signify their politics. Women like Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina are exemplars of this beauty trend, showing off a hyperfeminine look that is at odds with how they wield their power. In this episod...

President Trump deployed the National Guard in Washington, D.C., and is threatening to do so in other American cities. On this episode of “The Opinions,” the Opinion national politics writer Michelle Cottle is joined by the columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French to debate what Trump is really talking about when he talks about crime and the risks of using the military as a police force. Thoughts...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine policy changes aren’t making America healthy again, the Opinion writer David Wallace-Wells and the economist Emily Oster argue in this episode. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. The rest of the show's production team includes Derek Arthur,...

Artificial intelligence is already showing up in the classroom, so how are colleges, professors and students adapting to it? The New York Times Opinion editor Meher Ahmad is joined by the writer Jessica Grose and the columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom to talk about how the humanities are charting a new course, and whether ChatGPT is comparable to SparkNotes. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytime...

Three Opinion writers on Trump’s most recent power grabs. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It was the worst thing that ever happened to Bill White — and then it became the best. Changing your mind can be a difficult thing to do, especially when it also means reconsidering the foundation of your faith. For Evangelical Pastor Bill White, that’s what happened when his 15-year-old son Timothy came out as gay to him at Starbucks. On this episode of “The Opinions,” Bill reads from his journal...

Three Opinion writers debate whether universities should make a deal with the administration. In this episode of The Opinions, David Leonhardt, an editorial director in Opinion, debates his colleagues Binyamin Appelbaum and Emily Bazelon on the agreements Ivy League universities have reached with the Trump administration, and what those deals mean for the future of higher education and other organ...

And what it could mean for the future of the conflict in the Middle East. As Gazans starve, some of Israel’s supporters and global allies, including President Trump, are beginning to change their views on the humanitarian crisis in the region. Michelle Cottle, a national politics writer for Times Opinion, joins the columnists Lydia Polgreen and David French to discuss this shift and Israel’s funda...

Conservative Christian influencers are reshaping beauty standards and promoting diet culture — and their messages are resonating with women. In this episode of “The Opinions,” the Times Opinion editor Meher Ahmad speaks with the columnist Jessica Grose about how religion and weight loss culture intertwine, and why this pairing is gaining traction. Read the full transcript here: https://nytimes.com...

The linguist John McWhorter on how language around racial identity is evolving. Trump urged the Washington Commanders to revert to their former name. They dropped “Redskins” in 2020 following years of pressure. In this episode of The Opinions, linguist John McWhorter joins David Leonhardt, the editorial director of New York Times Opinion, to discuss the politics of language and how we talk about r...

This week on “The Opinions,” the national politics correspondent Michelle Cottle and the columnists Jamelle Bouie and Michelle Goldberg discuss the growing anger over President Trump’s mass deportation policy and the local resistance movements forming in response. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our...

Omer Bartov grew up in Israel and served in the Israel Defense Forces. He went on to study the Holocaust and genocide as a historian. In this conversation, he tells the Opinion editor Daniel J. Wakin why he believes Israel is committing genocide in Gaza and what that means for the future of the Middle East and the next generation of Jews in Israel and the United States. Thoughts? Email us at theop...

David Leonhardt, an editorial director for Opinion, talks to the Opinion correspondent Michelle Cottle about her recent reporting trip to Kansas. Cottle argues that Democrats should look to moderate governors like Laura Kelly of Kansas for a playbook. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection an...

This week on the “Opinions” round table, the national politics correspondent Michelle Cottle and the columnists David French and Jamelle Bouie discuss the right’s implosion over the Trump administration’s decision to close the Jeffrey Epstein investigation and how the Supreme Court handed Trump another win. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced...

Ken Jennings, the “Jeopardy!” host, doesn’t think trivia is trivial. In this episode, he makes the case that shows like “Jeopardy!” aren’t just games — they might be among the last cultural spaces where facts still matter. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek, Kaari Pitkin and Jillian Weinberge...

In this episode, the editorial director David Leonhardt talks to a conservative former federal judge, Michael McConnell, about the role of the courts in President Trump’s second term. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. Subscribe to the show's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOpinionsNYT This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Alis...

The New York Times columnists Michelle Cottle and David French discuss whether the moment might be right for a third party. And French tells the story of the time he briefly considered a run for president as a third-party candidate. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing...

Trump’s immigration policy has closed America’s doors and could change the way Americans think about citizenship and belonging. The Opinion columnists Carlos Lozada and Lydia Polgreen talk about the reporting that took her to countries all over the world to better understand what America’s future might look like. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was pro...

In the wake of the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, Congress passed the most substantial bipartisan legislation around guns in decades. As part of the bill, Republicans pushed for mental health treatment as a solution to school violence. In April the Trump administration abruptly cut $1 billion in funding for that program. Not one Republican has spoken out since. Our senior pro...