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Ravi unpacks a chaotic week in politics, with Trump’s Epstein scandal spiraling into an unprecedented crisis for his MAGA coalition. He explores how conspiracy thinking fuels Trump’s base and why this case feels different.
Next, is America’s crisis infrastructure at risk? Ravi reviews FEMA’s botched disaster response in Texas. He then turns to the president’s recent erratic shifts on Ukraine and the economy and why they may signal a looming economic storm, linking Trump’s tariff threats, service sector pressure, and politicized debt policy to potential stagflation.
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Today we talk about how the Epstein story and Schrodinger’s client list has fractured the right and whether this might finally be the thing that ol’ Donny Trump can’t wriggle out of. And we talk about climate change and the floods on the east coast as Tyler puts back on his environmental studies professor hat. Enjoy!
The continuing focus on the "Epstein files" that don't exist is the first bump in the road for Donald Trump with his base. His declaration that people who focus on it are "very bad" demonstrates his frustration with the distraction from his accomplishments—which are revealed in part by the violence with which liberals and leftists are now discussing his victories at the Supreme Court. Give a listen.
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During a congressional hearing yesterday, Republican lawmakers accused university leaders of failing to do enough to combat antisemitism on their campuses. That’s a claim that the university officials strongly rejected.
The hearing was the latest attempt by Republicans to use what they see as the growing threat against Jews to their political advantage. And it reflects a plan that was first laid out by the Heritage Foundation, the same conservative think tank that produced Project 2025.
That plan, known as Project Esther, may have once seemed far-fetched. Katie J.M. Baker explains how it has become a reality.
Guest: Katie J.M. Baker, a national investigative correspondent for The New York Times.
Background reading:
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: Jared Soares for The New York Times
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On this episode: We break down the many uses of the autopen, the backlash over the DOJ's handling of the Epstein list, and Chris Cuomo’s eyebrow-raising bid for NYC mayor. Plus: potential new cuts to the Department of Education, Trump’s NATO weapons deal, and the All-Star Game makes its return to Atlanta. Let’s get into it!
Time stamps:
13:59 - The Autopen
27:52 - Epstein
40:25 - Cuomo
46:00 - Department of Education
50:48 - NATO
59:35 - MLB All-Star Game