The Opinion writer Michelle Cottle and contributing Opinion writer Ben Rhodes discuss why the Democratic Party hasn’t launched an effective opposition and who they see as the future of the party.

Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Alison Bruzek. The rest of the show's production team also includes Derek Arthur and Jillian Weinberger. Mixing by Sonia Herrero. Original music by Pat McCusker, Sonia Herrero and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

In his HBO special, “Just for Us,” the comedian Alex Edelman explores his Jewish identity and whiteness in an unusual way: attending a neo-Nazi meeting in Queens. Before the 2024 presidential election, he traveled to Minnesota to watch a stranger perform his comedy special in a theater performance. In this episode, Edelman joins the Opinion editor Susannah Meadows to reflect on that experience, what “Just for Us” means after Donald Trump’s return to office and why hard conversations — even with extremists — matter now more than ever.

Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Kristina Samulewski. It was edited by Alison Bruzek, Kaari Pitkin and Annie-Rose Strasser. The rest of the show's production team includes Derek Arthur, Vishakha Darbha and Jillian Weinberger. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker, Isaac Jones and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

On this episode, Patrick Healy and David Leonhardt discuss President Trump’s attempts to remake higher education and argue that higher education should reform itself first.

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 show's production team also includes Derek Arthur and Vishakha Darbha. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Sonia Herrero, Carole Sabouraud and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

In this episode, the New York Times Opinion columnist David French breaks down the security concerns behind the Trump administration’s military discussions on the Signal app and the consequences such a security breach could have on American safety and military strategy.

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 by Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

More than two months into his second term, President Donald Trump is testing the limits of the U.S. Constitution. But which of his executive actions are legally sound, and which defy constitutional principles? In this episode, the Opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie sits down with his editor, Aaron Retica, for a deep dive into the crisis that’s reshaping American democracy.

Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. The rest of the show's production team includes Vishakha Darbha and Jillian Weinberger. Mixing by Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

President Trump has been operating with complete impunity and disregard for American institutions. In this episode, the Times Opinion deputy editor Patrick Healy and the columnist Thomas L. Freidman discuss the repercussions of such behavior on America’s national and international policy.

Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishkaha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Sonia Herrero. Original music by Aman Sahota, Carole Sabouraud and Pat McCusker. The show's production team also includes Derek Arthur and Jillian Weinberger. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

What does it look like when some of the world’s richest men withdraw assistance for the world’s poorest women and children? After Elon Musk claimed no one had died from cuts to American foreign aid spending, the Opinion writer Nicholas Kristof traveled to South Sudan to see the impact for himself. In this episode, he shares how millions of people now face death and starvation and why Americans — including those who believe in “America First” — should care.

Read Kristof’s interactive essay with photos and charts at nytimes.com/opinion.

Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Annie-Rose Strasser. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. The show's production team also includes Jillian Weinberger and Vishakha Darbha. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

A measles outbreak in West Texas has claimed two lives, and President Trump’s secretary of health and human services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is spreading false claims about the disease and the vaccines that nearly eliminated it. In this episode of “The Opinions,” a Times Opinion editor, Alexandra Sifferlin, and an Opinion writer, Jessica Grose, discuss how the successes and failures of our modern health care system brought us to this moment and the Make America Healthy Again movement. We have eliminated “so many things that used to kill so many people that people have forgotten how dangerous those things are,” Grose says.

Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com

You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Opinions” at nytimes.com/column/the-opinions.

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. Edited by Alison Bruzek. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Original music by Carole Sabouraud, Isaac Jones and Pat McCusker. The show’s production team also includes Derek Arthur and Jillian Weinberger. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The Director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

Inspectors general are our government watchdogs. They root out corruption and check for fraud and inefficiencies — all things President Trump has claimed to want to do. And yet, when he took office, he fired more than a dozen inspectors general without warning.

In this episode of The Opinions, we spoke to the reporter and filmmaker Francesca Trianni about her interviews with seven of these inspectors, their relationship to the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and why they’re worried about the future of American democracy.

To see the videos of the Inspectors General, go to nytimes.com.

Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.

You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Opinions” at nytimes.com/column/the-opinions.

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. Edited by Kaari Pitkin and Alison Bruzek. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. The show’s production team also includes Derek Arthur and Jillian Weinberger. Original music by Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouraud. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The Director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

President Donald Trump is about halfway through his first 100 days in office. In this episode of The Opinions, Patrick Healy talks with the columnist Michelle Goldberg and contributor Frank Bruni about the moments that have defined Trump’s second term so far and what his first 50 days portend for the rest of Trump’s second term.

Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com
 

You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Opinions” at nytimes.com/column/the-opinions.

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. Edited by Kaari Pitkin and Alison Bruzek. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Mixing by Sonia Herrero. The show’s production team also includes Derek Arthur and Vishakha Darbha. Original music by Aman Sahota, Isaac Jones and Carole Sabouraud. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The Director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.
 

Time is running out for transgender service members in the U.S. military. The Trump administration has put in motion plans to identify and remove transgender troops, with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth saying they are unfit to serve.

In this episode with the Opinion editor Sarah Wildman, Col. Bree Fram, one of the highest-ranking transgender members of the military, speaks about her journey and her uncertain future.

Note: The views presented are Colonel Fram’s and do not reflect the official guidance or position of the U.S. government or the Department of Defense.

Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com

You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Opinions” at nytimes.com/column/the-opinions.

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. Edited by Kaari Pitkin and Alison Bruzek. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Original music by Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouraud. The show’s production team also includes Vishakha Darbha and Jillian Weinberger. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The Director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.