The Midterms Begin With a Texas-Size Showdown

This week, an unusual disagreement broke out between the president of the United States and Pope Leo XIV. The New York Times Rome bureau chief, Motoko Rich, explains why President Trump cares so much about what the pope thinks, and why it matters that they are so deeply at odds. Guest: Motoko Rich, the Rome bureau chief leading coverage of Italy, the Vatican and Greece for The New York Times. Background reading:  President Trump lashed out on Sunday night at Pope Leo XIV, who responded hours later by saying he would continue to oppose war. The Times’s Rome bureau chief is still getting a feel for a pontiff who is willing to challenge President Trump and use his sense of humor. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli, Anna Rose Layden for The New York Times For 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Over a month into a war with Iran that has no clear end, President Trump has enforced a blockade, which went into effect on Monday at the Strait of Hormuz. The New York Times reporters David E. Sanger, Rebecca F. Elliott and Eric Schmitt discuss the strategy behind the blockade, the dangers that it poses and whether or not it’s actually working. Guest:  David E. Sanger, a White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times. Rebecca F. Elliott covers energy for The New York Times. Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading:  Mr. Trump is setting up a test of which side can endure more economic pain with his blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. His oil blockade could provoke retaliation that inflicts more damage on energy assets and the global economy. Photo: Reuters For 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Since the release of generative A.I., questions have been raised about how it would change our lives and jobs. Now, many software developers who were early adopters of the technology have outsourced so many tasks that they barely program at all. Clive Thompson, who writes about technology and science, interviewed about 75 software developers at major tech companies, small businesses and start-ups. He explains what it looks like when programmers invite A.I. to help them do their jobs. Guest: Clive Thompson, who writes about technology and science for The New York Times Magazine, Wired, Smithsonian and other publications. Background reading:  Coding after coders: It’s the end of computer programming as we know it. Photo: Adam Glanzman for The New York Times For 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After negotiations over the weekend between the United States and Iran ended without a breakthrough, the temporary cease-fire appears to be increasingly precarious. The New York Times journalists Ronen Bergman and Mark Mazzetti explain why Israel is one of the biggest questions looming over the truce. Guest: Ronen Bergman, a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine based in Tel Aviv. Mark Mazzetti, an investigative reporter for The New York Times based in Washington. Background reading:  Here’s what to know about the cease-fire talks. Iran’s top negotiator said the talks were unsuccessful because Washington failed to win Tehran’s trust. Photo: Pool photo by Jacquelyn Martin For 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The first time Robert Draper heard about the psychedelic drug ibogaine, it was from an unlikely source: the retired U.S. senator Kyrsten Sinema. As a political reporter for The New York Times, Draper often talks to figures like Ms. Sinema. But on this occasion, he said, she wanted to tell him about how she had tried ibogaine, which is illegal in the United States. She’d become such a believer in the drug that she was pushing her home state of Arizona to fund clinical trials for veterans with combat-related trauma. Draper found that Ms. Sinema wasn’t the only politician to take up the cause. Rick Perry, the former Texas governor, Republican presidential candidate and Trump energy secretary, has also advocated for research into ibogaine in recent years and taken the drug himself. In 2025, because of Mr. Perry’s efforts, Texas became the first state to dedicate public funds to ibogaine research with veterans. Recent studies of ibogaine at Stanford University and elsewhere suggest that it might prove effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, addiction and a range of other conditions. As Draper reported on ibogaine’s transformative effects on others, he wondered: Could it help him, too? Today, on “The Sunday Daily,” Natalie Kitroeff talks to Robert Draper about what drew him to travel to Mexico to try ibogaine, and how his trip changed his life. On Today’s Episode:  Robert Draper (usually) writes about domestic politics for The New York Times. Background Reading: It’s an Obscure Psychedelic Used to Treat Trauma. Could It Help Me? The Long, Strange Trip of Rick Perry Art Credit: Illustration By Melissa Santamaría 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The writer, actor and lightning rod is not done sharing yet. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] Watch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcast For transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mississippi has seen a stunning turnaround in national test scores in the past decade, even as they have fallen almost everywhere else. Sarah Mervosh, an education reporter, explains what the state can teach the rest of the country about how to educate students. Guest: Sarah Mervosh, an education reporter at The New York Times, focusing on K-12 schools. Background reading:  How Mississippi transformed its schools from worst to best. Photo: Rory Doyle for The New York Times For 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Who is Satoshi Nakamoto? Bitcoin’s pseudonymous founder has hidden his identity for 17 years despite many attempts to unmask him, even as his cryptocurrency has revolutionized finance and made him a billionaire. John Carreyrou, an investigative reporter for The New York Times, walks us through the evidence he found pointing to the person behind the pseudonym. Then, we hear from the man John believes is Mr. Nakamoto. Guest: John Carreyrou, an investigative reporter for The New York Times’s business section. Background reading:  Read John’s investigation into the identity of Bitcoin’s creator. Here are four takeaways from the article. Photo: Illustration by Yoshi Sodeoka; Photo by Amir Hamja For 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Warning: This episode contains strong language. The United States and Iran announced a two-week cease-fire last night, shortly before President Trump’s deadline for Iran to unblock the Strait of Hormuz or to potentially see its “whole civilization” destroyed. David E. Sanger, a White House correspondent for The New York Times, explains what led to this last-minute deal and what it will take to make it stick. Guest: David E. Sanger, a White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading:  Mr. Trump found his offramp with Iran, but the causes of the war remain unresolved. Here is the latest on the Middle East. Photo: Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times For 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Over the weekend, the U.S. military pulled off a risky mission to save an injured airman whose fighter jet had been shot down in Iran. Eric Schmitt, who covers national security for The New York Times, explains how Washington pulled it off. Guest: Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times based in Washington. Background reading:  Inside the harrowing race against time to find the U.S. airman in Iran. Analysis: Iran’s downing of a plane and the U.S. rescue leave both sides dangerously emboldened. For 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.