J.F.K., the C.I.A. and the Original ‘Deep State’
The Daily
03/27/25
•28m
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For the past three decades, the U.S. government has released documents related to the assassination of John F. Kennedy with an overriding goal of dispelling conspiracy theories.
Julian E. Barnes, who covers the U.S. intelligence agencies, explains why President Trump’s motivations behind releasing the latest batch are far more complicated.
Guest: Julian E. Barnes, a reporter covering the U.S. intelligence agencies and international security matters for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Inside the 24-hour scramble among top national security officials over the Kennedy documents.
- The thousands of documents posted online this week disappointed assassination buffs. But historians are finding many newly revealed secrets.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: Reuters
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Previous Episode
The Editor Who Was Accidentally Texted War Plans
March 26, 2025
•38m
This week, top Trump officials inadvertently shared secret U.S. military plans with a prominent journalist after mistakenly adding him to a group chat.
The journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg, who is editor in chief at The Atlantic, discusses what he was thinking as he read the messages and what he makes of the fallout.
Guest: Jeffrey Goldberg, editor in chief at The Atlantic.
Background reading:
- Read Mr. Goldberg’s piece in The Atlantic about being added to the group chat.
- Read more about Mr. Goldberg, the editor mistakenly added to the Signal chat.
- Here’s the leaked chat, annotated.
- President Trump has downplayed the leak and pointed the finger at Mr. Goldberg.
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
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Next Episode
Trump 2.0: Group Chats and a New Spat
March 28, 2025
•31m
What does the continuing fallout from the Signal text security breach tell us about President Trump’s cabinet’s approach to blame and accountability?
The Times journalists Michael Barbaro, Eric Schmitt, Julian E. Barnes and Maggie Haberman sit down to make sense of the latest week.
Guest:
- Eric Schmitt, a national security correspondent for The New York Times based in Washington.
- Julian E. Barnes, a reporter covering the U.S. intelligence agencies and international security matters for The New York Times.
- Maggie Haberman, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Analysis: President Trump takes government secrecy seriously. But only when it suits him.
- Intelligence officials faced a fresh round of questions about the Signal leak.
- A disregard for the rules trickles down from Mr. Trump to his aides.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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