The Daily

As 2025 comes to an end, The Sunday Special is looking back on the year in culture. This week, on our final episode of the podcast, we’re talking about movies. The potential acquisition of Warner Brothers by Netflix has dominated entertainment news in recent weeks, but the year in movies has been about a lot more than corporate mergers. Alissa Wilkinson, a movie critic for The New York Times, and Nicole Sperling, a culture reporter based in Los Angeles, join Gilbert Cruz to talk about what really matters: the movies we loved this year. Movies discussed in this episode include: “One Battle After Another” “Sinners” “A Minecraft Movie” “Superman” “Weapons” “Wicked: For Good” “Zootopia 2” “Avatar: Fire and Ash” “Marty Supreme” “It Was Just an Accident” “The Testament of Ann Lee” “Come and See Me In the Good Light” “Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning” On Today’s Episode: Alissa Wilkinson is a movie critic at The Times. Nicole Sperling is a reporter covering Hollywood for The Times. Background Reading: Netflix vs. Paramount: Inside the Epic Battle Over Warner Brothers The 25 Most Notable Movies of 2025 Best Movies of 2025 Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures; 20th Century Studios; Disney 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.

This week, The Daily is revisiting some of our favorite episodes of the year and checking in on what has happened in the time since. In the past few years, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound have been radically reshaping the people’s lives, changing appetites and health. But the drugs also have the power to affect other parts of consumers’ lives, including their romantic relationships. Lisa Miller, who writes about health for The New York Times, tells the story of how these drugs upended one couple’s marriage. Guest: Lisa Miller, a domestic correspondent for the Well section who writes about personal and cultural approaches to physical and mental health. Background reading: herelesser-known side effects on relationshipsPhoto: Katherine Wolkoff 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.

In it escalating campaign against Venezuela, the Trump administration has gone from shooting drug boats to trying to seize oil tankers in the Caribbean. Anatoly Kurmanaev, a foreign correspondent for The New York Times who has spent years covering Venezuela, explains why President Trump is shifting his strategy, and what that might tell us about his true endgame. Guest: Anatoly Kurmanaev, a reporter for The New York Times covering Russia and its transformation following the invasion of Ukraine. Background reading: Venezuela’s oil exports have plummeted after the United States took action against three tankers carrying crude. Photo: Satellite image ©2025 Vantor, via Associated Press 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.

The latest release of files related to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein left key questions unanswered about his rise to power and his connections to the president. David Enrich, an investigations editor at The New York Times, explains how he worked with a team of reporters to fill in those mysteries and reveal the truth about Mr. Epstein’s origins. Guest: David Enrich, a deputy investigations editor for The New York Times. Background reading: revealed new photosThis is the untold storyFor 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.

The construction of a giant factory complex in Arizona was supposed to embody the Trump administration’s ability to bring manufacturing back to the United States. But undertaking big projects is not as simple as it seems. Peter S. Goodman, who writes about the intersection of economics and geopolitics for The New York Times, explains why. Guest: Peter S. Goodman, who covers the global economy for The New York Times. Background reading: 18,000 or so reasonsPhoto: Loren Elliott 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.

In these final weeks of 2025, The Sunday Special is looking back at the year in culture. Today, we’re talking about the TV we watched this year — the best shows, the most popular ones and the ones that allowed us to just enjoyably veg out. Gilbert Cruz talks with the TV critic James Poniewozik and the culture reporter Alexis Soloski about the year in television. TV shows discussed in this episode: “Severance” “Common Side Effects” “Too Much” “Nobody Wants This” “Dying for Sex” “The Hunting Wives” “The White Lotus” “Dr. Odyssey” “Long Story Short” “Heated Rivalry” “Andor” “The Lowdown” “Platonic” “Pluribus” “The Pitt” “Adolescence” On Today’s Episode: James Poniewozik is the chief TV critic for The New York Times. Alexis Soloski is a culture reporter for The Times. Background Reading: Best TV Shows of 2025 The Best TV Episodes of 2025 Photo Credit: Apple TV+; Netflix; Lucasfilm/Disney+; HBO 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.

The writer and lawyer has been documenting the occupation for decades. Somehow, he maintains hope. theinterview@nytimes.comyoutube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastnytimes.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.

With anxieties building over affordability, President Trump made a push to reassure Americans just as the government released long-awaited data that raised new questions about the economic health of the nation. Tony Romm, who covers economic policy for The New York Times, discusses how Mr. Trump is trying to take control of the issue, and Ben Cassleman, The Times’s chief economics correspondent, explains what the latest numbers tell us about why people are still so frustrated. Guest: Tony RommBen CasselmanBackground reading: Here are six takeawaysthe White House has teased the promise of tariff rebatesPhoto: Doug Mills/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.

This week, despite a last-ditch effort by some House Republicans to strike a deal on health care, Congress remains deadlocked on whether to extend support for millions of Americans who get their health care through the Affordable Care Act. Margot Sanger-Katz, who covers health care policy, explains who will be most affected by the decision. Then, we hear directly from some of the Americans who will now face a decision: whether to keep paying for rising insurance costs or to risk going without it. Guest: Margot Sanger-Katz, a reporter for The New York Times who covers health care policy and government spending. Background reading: to force a vote on health subsidiesObamacare users will be asked to pay morePhoto: Eric Lee 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.

Rob Reiner, the classic film director, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were killed on Sunday at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. On Tuesday, prosecutors charged the couple’s son, Nick, with first-degree murder. Julia Jacobs, an arts and culture reporter for The New York Times, explains what we have learned about the deaths, and Wesley Morris, a critic at The Times, discusses why many of Rob Reiner’s films are so beloved. Guest: Julia JacobsWesley MorrisBackground reading: died at 78charged on Tuesday with murdering his parentsPhoto: Universal/Getty Images 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.

Warning: This episode contains strong language. Palantir, a data analysis and technology company, has secured federal contracts worth hundreds of millions of dollars during President Trump’s second presidency, including to develop software to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement deport people. Michael Steinberger, who spent six years interviewing Palantir’s chief executive, Alex Karp, for the book “The Philosopher in the Valley,” explains how Mr. Karp went from a self-described lifelong Democrat to a champion of Mr. Trump, and the impact this transformation could have on American democracy. Guest: Michael Steinberger, a contributing writer to The New York Times. Background reading: Listen to an interview with Mr. Karpthe Trump administration tapped Palantir to compile dataMr. Steinberger’s bookFor 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.

A New York Times review of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s actions on immigration showed that decisions he and his closest advisers made created an opening for a more aggressive Trump administration agenda. Christopher Flavelle, who interviewed more than 30 former Biden administration officials who worked on immigration and border policy, explains how Mr. Biden fumbled the immigration issue, and what the Democratic Party can learn from his missteps. Guest: Christopher Flavelle, a reporter for The New York Times. Background reading: How Mr. Biden ignored warnings and lost Americans’ faith in immigrationRead four takeawaysPhoto: Paul Ratje 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.

As 2025 comes to an end, The Sunday Special is looking back on the year in culture. This week, we’re listening to the songs and albums that defined the year, for better or worse. Gilbert Cruz is joined by Caryn Ganz and Lindsay Zoladz from The Times’s pop music desk to discuss some of the biggest and best releases of 2025. Albums and songs mentioned in this episode: Bad Bunny, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” Lady Gaga, “Mayhem” Justin Bieber, “Daisies” Chappell Roan, “The Giver” and “The Subway” Sabrina Carpenter, “Manchild” Doechii, “Alligator Bites Never Heal” Taylor Swift, “The Life of a Showgirl” Morgan Wallen, “I’m the Problem” Ghost, “Skeletá” Dijon, “Baby” Geese, “Getting Killed” Water From Your Eyes, “It’s a Beautiful Place” PinkPantheress, “Fancy That” Lily Allen, “Tennis” Ella Langley, “Choosin’ Texas” Sleigh Bells, “Bunky Becky Birthday Boy” Hayley Williams, “Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party” Turnstile, “Never Enough” On Today’s Episode Caryn Ganz is the pop music editor at The Times. Lindsay Zoladz is a pop music critic at The Times and the writer of The Amplifier newsletter. Additional Reading Best Albums of 2025 Best Songs of 2025 Photo Illustration by The New York Times; From left, Angela Weiss/AFP — Getty Images (Lady Gaga); OK McCausland for The New York Times (Geese); Erika Santelices/Reuters (Bad Bunny); Helle Arensbak/AFP -- Getty Images, via Ritzau Scanpix (PinkPantheress) 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.

Warning: This episode contains strong language. In this special episode for subscribers of “The Daily,” the host Michael Barbaro moderates a panel from The New York Times’s DealBook Summit, speaking with journalists and personalities from across the industry about the state of media in 2025. Guest: 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.

The current and former lawmakers get candid about bipartisan politics, party leadership and the state of the Senate. theinterview@nytimes.comyoutube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastnytimes.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.

President Trump has overseen an aggressive foreign policy, including harsh words about Europe and a lethal military campaign in the Caribbean. Last week, the White House unveiled its new national security strategy, which made Mr. Trump’s true goals clear and alarmed countries around the world. David E. Sanger, who covers the White House and national security for The New York Times, explains what the strategy is and how it may change America’s global relationships for good. Guest: David E. Sanger, a White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading: Mr. Trump’s security strategy focuses on profitThe policy document formalizes Mr. Trump’s long-held contemptPhoto: Ricardo Arduengo/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.

In the year since President Trump roared back to power, one of the most surprising story lines of his second term has been a series of public ruptures between him and the movement he created. Robert Draper, who covers domestic politics for The New York Times, discusses the growing tensions inside the MAGA movement and what they tell us about what the American right might look like in a post-Trump world. Guest: Robert Draper, who covers domestic politics. Background reading: Tucker CarlsonMarjorie Taylor GreeneNick FuentesPhoto: Doug Mills/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.

The Supreme Court’s liberal minority has voted, over and over again, to oppose the court’s conservative majority in what might look like a united front of resistance. But behind the scenes, there are growing tensions between those liberal justices over the best way to mitigate the rightward lurch of the court. Jodi Kantor, who uncovered the story, explains what she found. Guest: Jodi Kantor, a New York Times reporter whose job is to carefully uncover secrets and illuminate how power operates. Background reading: Read aboutPhoto: Fred Schilling/Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, via Associated Press 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.

Netflix announced plans on Friday to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming business, in a deal that would send shock waves through Hollywood. On Monday, Paramount made a hostile bid for the studio, arguing that the Netflix deal would be “anti-competitive.” The Times journalists Nicole Sperling, Kyle Buchanan and Lauren Hirsch discuss what it all means for the future of TV and film. Guest: Nicole SperlingKyle BuchananLauren HirschBackground reading: Netflix planned to buy Warner Bros.DiscoveryParamount made a hostile bidPhoto: Aleksey Kondratyev 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.

Warning: This episode mentions suicide. In March, the U.S. government sent more than 200 Venezuelan men to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. Over four months, the men said they endured physical, mental and sexual abuse. Julie Turkewitz, the Andes bureau chief at The New York Times, interviewed 40 of these prisoners. She explains what she found out about this part of President Trump’s program of mass deportation. Guest: Julie Turkewitz, the Andes bureau chief for The New York Times, based in Bogotá, Colombia. Background reading: You are all terrorists”: four months in a Salvadoran prisonPhoto: Adriana Loureiro Fernandez 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.