The Sunday Read: ‘The America That Americans Forget’

The U.S. government shut down on Wednesday morning. For the Democrats, it is an act of resistance against President Trump’s second-term agenda. The question is now whether their gamble will pay off or backfire.In an episode recorded from the Capitol, Catie Edmondson and Carl Hulse, New York Times reporters who cover Congress, tell us what the decision-making looked like inside the building before the shutdown.Then, we have an interview with Senator Chuck Schumer. He explains why he pursued the shutdown in the moments before the vote.Guest:Catie Edmondson, a congressional correspondent for The New York Times.Carl Hulse, the chief Washington correspondent for The New York Times.Senator Chuck Schumer, minority leader of the United States Senate.Background reading: The shutdown of the U.S. government entered its first full day with no hint that either side would give.Here’s how congressional leaders are positioning themselves.Photo: Haiyun Jiang/The New York TimesFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  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. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

1 Okt 37min

In a new poll, The New York Times asked voters what they thought of the first eight months of President Trump’s second term.Nate Cohn, the chief political analyst at The Times, explains what the survey found and what it may tell us about where the country is heading next.Guest: Nate Cohn, the chief political analyst for The New York Times.Background reading: After a volatile summer, Mr. Trump’s approval remains low but stable, a new Times/Siena survey shows.See Mr. Trump’s approval rating according to the latest polls.Photo: Haiyun Jiang/The New York TimesFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  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. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

30 Sep 29min

For the past decade, a simple message has been delivered to a generation of American students: If you learn to code and complete a computer science degree, you’ll get a job with a six-figure salary.Now, thousands of students who followed the advice are discovering that the promise was empty. Natasha Singer, a technology reporter for The Times, explains.Guest: Natasha Singer, a technology reporter in the business section of The New York Times.Background reading: Goodbye, $165,000 tech jobs. Student coders seek work at Chipotle.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Andrew Spear for The New York Times 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. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

29 Sep 31min

This month kicked off the big four fashion weeks: New York, London, Milan and Paris. Each year, designers, brands, influencers and celebrities flock to these events to see and be seen.On today’s episode, Gilbert sits down with Stella Bugbee and Jacob Gallagher, two of The Times’s foremost style experts and veterans of the fashion week circuit, to discuss clothes. They talk about what fashion week means in the frenetic fashion ecosystem of 2025, and they answer some listener questions about how to cultivate a personal style. On Today’s Episode:Stella Bugbee, the Styles editor for The New York Times.Jacob Gallagher, a fashion reporter for The New York Times.Background Reading:Armani’s Influence on New York Fashion WeekPhoto: Simbarashe Cha 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. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

28 Sep 56min

The actor and instigator is ready for his renaissance. 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. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

27 Sep 51min

A grand jury indicted James Comey, the former F.B.I. director, on Thursday night. It is a case that President Trump has personally demanded that federal prosecutors pursue despite their own doubts about whether Mr. Comey committed a crime.Devlin Barrett, who covers the Justice Department and F.B.I. for The New York Times, explains what’s in the indictment and what that means for Mr. Trump’s ongoing campaign of retribution.Guest: Devlin Barrett, a New York Times reporter covering the Justice Department and the F.B.I.Background reading: A grand jury indicted Mr. Comey, a longtime Trump target.With the indictment, Mr. Trump is getting the retribution he wanted but shattering norms.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times 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. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

26 Sep 30min

The U.S. military has blown up three boats in the Caribbean Sea in the past three weeks, killing 17 people aboard.Each time, President Trump has claimed that the boats were carrying drugs to the United States and that those killed were “narcoterrorists.” But he has offered no concrete evidence to back up this claim.Charlie Savage, who covers national security for The New York Times, tells us what he has learned about what may be the true objective behind these airstrikes and whether any of this is even legal.Guest: Charlie Savage, who writes about national security and legal policy for The New York Times.Background reading: Last week, Mr. Trump said the U.S. military had attacked a third boat suspected of carrying drugs, killing three.He has claimed the power to kill those suspected of drug smuggling.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Elizabeth Frantz for The New York Times 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. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

25 Sep 35min

President Trump and his inner circle are making millions of dollars from agreements that intersect with America’s national security interests, a New York Times investigation found.Eric Lipton, who wrote the article, explains why these conflicts of interest are unlike anything we’ve seen before.Guest: Eric Lipton, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: Read the full investigation here, or see five takeaways.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times 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. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

24 Sep 25min