The New Yorker staff writer David D. Kirkpatrick joins Tyler Foggatt and Andrew Marantz to discuss his investigation—published in August, 2025—into the many ways President Donald Trump has profited during his second term, which include a reported private jet (a gift from Qatar), soaring valuations of Trump Media, and a flood of crypto ventures. They discuss whether these attempts at self-enrichment amount to ordinary political corruption, or whether they represent tools for consolidating power that could in turn accelerate democratic backsliding in the United States, much like in kleptocracies and oligarchies abroad.

This episode originally aired on August 20, 2025.

This week’s reading:

• “Is There a Remedy for Presidential Profiteering?,” by David D. Kirkpatrick
• “Trump’s Profiteering Hits $6 Billion,” by David D. Kirkpatrick
• “This Is What Trumpian Self-Dealing Looks Like,” by John Cassidy
• “How Trump Created a Slush Fund for His Allies,” by Ruth Marcus
• “How Pakistan Is Using the Iran War to Reinvent Itself,” by Sudarsan Raghavan
• “The Strange Emptiness of the Crowded Governor’s Race in California,” by Nathan Heller

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

Tune in to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts.

As control of the Senate hangs in the balance, many eyes are on Dan Osborn, of Nebraska. He’s a dream candidate for the Democrats: a mechanic in the food-processing industry, a former president of his local union, and a veteran of the Navy and the Army National Guard. But Osborn isn’t a Democrat; he’s running as an independent. Polls show a close or tied race with the Republican incumbent, Pete Ricketts, an heir to a financial fortune. David Remnick talks with Osborn about leading a strike at a Kellogg’s plant; how Donald Trump’s tariffs are affecting voters in an agricultural state; and Osborn’s decision to not caucus with either party if he wins the seat.

Further reading: 

• “Can the Democrats Take Back the Senate?,” by Amy Davidson Sorkin

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

Tune in to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts.

The New Yorker contributing writer Robin Wright joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss the state of peace talks between the U.S. and Iran. They talk about the evolving terms—and major sticking points—of a potential agreement between the two countries, including the future of Iran’s nuclear program and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. They also explore whether the war has ultimately weakened or emboldened Iran, and how Donald Trump’s approach to the conflict and negotiations fits into his broader diplomatic legacy.

This week’s reading:

• “The Epic Disaster of Operation Epic Fury,” by Robin Wright
• “Why Any Plausible Iran Deal Is a Humiliation for Trump,” by Isaac Chotiner
• “How Trump Created a Slush Fund for His Allies,” by Ruth Marcus
• “Is the Working Class Finally Turning on Trump?,” by Eyal Press
• “How Problematic Is Patriotism?,” by Arthur Krystal

See Tyler Foggatt in Conversation with Robby Hoffman at the Cascade Ideas Festival on June 6th

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

Tune in to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts.

There will be a variety of celebrations to honor America’s two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary this year. Much of it is to be expected: fireworks, red, white, and blue lights, even a military parade. But something else is happening, something that probably wouldn’t occur if anyone other than Donald Trump were President. The Ultimate Fighting Championship, the premier league for mixed martial arts, is staging a fight at the White House. The U.F.C. was founded in 1993, and exploded in popularity after Dana White took over as president of the company, in 2001. He’s also been friends with Donald Trump for a quarter century, and spoke on the President’s behalf at all three Republican National Conventions where Trump was the nominee. He’s stumped for him at rallies, and Trump even called him up to speak at his victory celebration on Election Night in 2024. David Remnick and White discuss his remarkable rise to prominence, and his relationship with the increasingly unpopular President. “He’s not a racist,” White tells Remnick. “He’s not a fascist. He loves this country. And if you’re an American—race, religion, whatever it is—President Trump is on your team, that I guarantee you.”

Further reading: 

• “Donald Trump’s U.F.C. Victory Party,” by Sam Eagan
• “Cage-Fighting During a Pandemic: Is This the Future of Sports?,” by Kelefa Sanneh
• “Fighting for Trump: The U.F.C. Comes to New York City,” by Kelefa Sanneh

See the Washington Roundtable live at 92NY on June 4th.

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week.

The Washington Roundtable discusses the growing political backlash to artificial intelligence, especially among young Americans, and asks whether Washington, D.C., is capable of regulating A.I. companies. They’re joined by Nate Soares, the executive director of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute and co-author of the book “If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies.” The group explores what was behind the White House’s sudden reversal on an A.I.-safety executive order this week, the outsized influence of venture capitalists in the A.I. industry, and how A.I. may turbocharge the next populist movement in American politics. “My impression is that a lot of the people protesting data centers can sort of tell that this A.I. stuff is taking the world somewhere they don’t want,” Soares says. “They can tell that there’s this big corporate race that will either kill them or make them a permanent underclass.”

See the Washington Roundtable live at 92NY on June 4th.

This week’s reading:

• “Can Hakeem Jeffries Lead a Democratic Takeover of the House?,” by Jason Zengerle
• “Sam Altman Won in Court Against Elon Musk. But, Really, We All Lost,” by Gideon Lewis-Kraus
• “Can the Democrats Take Back the Senate?,” by Amy Davdison Sorkin
• “What Thomas Massie’s Race Says About Trump’s Influence,” by Jon Allsop
• “Clarence Thomas Against Progressivism—and Progressives,” by Ruth Marcus
• “A Republican Bloodbath in the Texas Senate Primary Is Giving Democrats Hope,” by Rachel Monroe

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

The New Yorker staff writer Jason Zengerle joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss his Profile of Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader. They talk about how Jeffries has balanced resisting Donald Trump’s agenda with holding together an increasingly fractious Democratic caucus, and whether Jeffries’ measured persona and “light touch” as a leader are an asset or a weakness in the current climate. They also consider the Democrats’ chances of reclaiming the House in the 2026 midterms—and what Jeffries could realistically accomplish if he becomes Speaker.

This week’s reading:

• “Can Hakeem Jeffries Lead a Democratic Takeover of the House?,” by Jason Zengerle
• “Can the Democrats Take Back the Senate?,” by Amy Davidson Sorkin
• “The Gaza Peace Plan Has Gone Nowhere,” by Isaac Chotiner
• “What Thomas Massie’s Race Says About Trump’s Influence,” by Jon Allsop
• “Benjamin Netanyahu’s War at Home,” by Bernard Avishai

See the Washington Roundtable live at 92NY on June 4th.

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

The two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence arrives during intense disputes about American history, as the Trump Administration demands a more glorifying view of the nation’s past at federally run historical sites and in federally funded projects. The staff writer Jill Lepore (who won the Pulitzer Prize in History this month for her book “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution”) guest-hosts a special episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour about this fraught moment, reflecting on the responsibility of academic historians to shape the public debate. She compares our moment with the bicentennial—which fell in the wake of the Vietnam War and the scandals of Richard Nixon’s Presidency—in a conversation with the Yale historian Beverly Gage. Lepore looks at the nature of the country’s war over history with Jelani Cobb, the dean of Columbia Journalism School and a staff writer at The New Yorker. They discuss the Donald Trump-approved “Freedom 250” projection on the Washington Monument, and talk about how Americans can meaningfully participate in the semiquincentennial. If “we’re sitting around waiting for the occupant of the White House to tell us what American history means,” Lepore says, “you just kind of want to walk into traffic.” 

Further reading: 

• America at 250, a special issue of The New Yorker
• “Was the Declaration of Independence Better Before the Edits?,” by Jill Lepore
• “Scandal, Protest, Goofiness, and Grandeur at the U.S. Bicentennial,” by Jill Lepore
• “Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Complicated Commemorations,” by Jelani Cobb
• “This Land Is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History,” by Beverly Gage

See the Washington Roundtable live at 92NY on June 4th.

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

The Washington Roundtable is joined by Representative Jason Crow, of Colorado, an Army Ranger veteran, member of the House Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, and one of the so-called Seditious Six, members of Congress whom Donald Trump threatened to have arrested for recording a video which reminded servicemembers that they are not required to follow illegal orders. Crow is also co-leading the Democratic Party’s effort to recruit and train a new generation of congressional candidates, placing him at the center of an urgent dilemma: how can the Party translate growing anxiety over the economy and the war in Iran into a coherent, winning message? His answer, in part, is to go “hyper-local,” build coalitions, and ignore the noise. “I tell these folks that you’re basically running your campaign like you’re running for mayor of your district,” Crow says. “Ignore Fox News, ignore the cable news networks, ignore the algorithms. You can’t control that, anyhow.”

See the Washington Roundtable live at 92NY on June 4th.

This week’s reading:

• “When Trump’s Away,” by Antonia Hitchens
• “What the Gerrymandering Wars Mean for the Midterms—and 2028,” by Isaac Chotiner
• “Will Donald Trump be Allowed to Destroy His Records?,” by Ruth Marcus
• “The Looming Disaster of the Border Wall in Big Bend, Texas,” by Rachel Monroe

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

The New Yorker staff writer Andrew Marantz joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss Péter Magyar, the new Prime Minister of Hungary, whom Marantz recently interviewed for the magazine. Marantz tells Foggatt about how Magyar defeated the longtime incumbent, Viktor Orbán—despite intervention by Donald Trump and his allies, and Orbán’s extensive influence over the Hungarian media—and why many Hungarians, after years of democratic backsliding and alleged corruption, ultimately turned against their deeply entrenched leader. Foggatt and Marantz also explore the challenges of governing after authoritarianism without reproducing its abuses of power, and whether Hungary’s political transition offers lessons for other democracies confronting illiberal movements.

This week’s reading:

• “Péter Magyar Led Hungarians out of Autocracy. Where Will He Take Them Now?,” by Andrew Marantz 
• “Why Spain Is Standing Up to Donald Trump,” by Ishaan Tharoor
• “Why Trump’s Spiritual Adviser Dedicated a Golden Statue to the President,” by Isaac Chotiner 
• “The Art of the Ceasefire,” by Sudarsan Raghavan
• “Rumors of Instability in Moscow,” by Joshua Yaffa

See the Washington Roundtable live at 92NY on June 4th.

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

The contributing writer Peter Slevin met with Barack Obama at the new Obama Presidential Center, which opens next month, in Chicago, and asked him the question on a lot of Democrats’ minds: Where is he, and why isn’t he doing more to help the country in a moment of crisis? Slevin shares excerpts from his interview, during which Obama explains the limits of his role, and why he should no longer be the figurehead for his party. Slevin also speaks with David Remnick about why the famously optimistic President has lost some of his confidence in the American prospect. “I would be dishonest if I didn’t acknowledge that,” Obama admitted. 

Further reading: 

• “Barack Obama Considers His Role in the Age of Trump,” by Peter Slevin
• “Presidents’ Days: From Obama to Trump,” by David Remnick

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 

Tune in to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts.

The über-rich have enjoyed a remarkable degree of sway in Donald Trump’s Washington—but they may now be facing a backlash. The Washington Roundtable traces the signs of invigorated “pitchfork politics,” such as Zohran Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax in New York, a wealth tax on the ballot in California, and recent protests against the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s involvement in the Met Gala—and what these efforts reveal about the cultural and political limits of oligarchy. The panel is joined by Brooke Harrington, a Dartmouth professor of economic sociology who trained as a wealth manager to embed inside the world of the super-rich. Together they examine whether the “broligarchs” have overplayed their hand, what history tells us about when élites lose their grip on power, and whether the left or the right is better positioned to harness growing inequality and anger as a political weapon heading into the 2026 midterms and beyond.

This week’s reading:

• “All the President’s Contractors,” by Antonia Hitchens
• “Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Complicated Commemoration,” by Jelani Cobb
• “For Putin, Problems (and Paranoia) Keep Mounting,” by Joshua Yaffa
• “The Pope’s First Anniversary Is Marked by More Sparring from the White House,” by Paul Elie
• “Barack Obama Considers His Role in the Age of Trump,” by Peter Slevin
• “How the Iran War Is Shifting Power Toward China,” by Ishaan Tharoor
• “The A.I. Industry Is Booming. When Will It Actually Make Money?,” by John Cassidy
• “How a Congressional Primary Became a Proxy Battle Over A.I.,” by Gideon Lewis-Kraus
• “The Real Cost of Downsizing Social Security,” by E. Tammy Kim

See the Washington Roundtable live at 92NY on June 4th.

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a w… Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices