Steve Bannon’s Battle for the Soul of MAGA
The Daily
07/01/25
•33m
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Warning: This episode contains strong language.
From the outside, the political movement created by Donald J. Trump has never seemed more empowered or invulnerable.
But Steve Bannon, who was the first Trump administration’s chief strategist, sees threats and betrayals at almost every turn, whether it’s bombing Iran or allowing tech billionaires to advise the president.
Jeremy W. Peters, a national reporter at The Times, talks to Mr. Bannon about those threats and why, to him, the future of the MAGA movement depends on defeating them.
Guest: Jeremy W. Peters, a national reporter for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- Steve Bannon said he told President Trump to investigate Elon Musk as an “illegal alien.”
- The president’s supporters are warring over two dueling campaign promises: to steer clear of foreign wars and to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: Maansi Srivastava for 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.
Previous Episode
Supreme Court Hands Trump Even More Power
June 30, 2025
•25m
In a major ruling on Friday, the Supreme Court limited the ability of judges to block President Trump’s policies nationwide, including his order to end birthright citizenship.
Mr. Trump immediately cheered the ruling, while critics have decried it as a fundamental threat to the rule of law.
Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The New York Times, explains how the ruling redefines the role of the courts, just when the White House is aggressively testing the limits of its power.
Guest: Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court and writes Sidebar, a column on legal developments, for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- With this Supreme Court ruling, another check on Mr. Trump’s power fades.
- In the birthright citizenship case, the Supreme Court limited the power of judges to block Mr. Trump’s policies.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: Haiyun Jiang/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
The Republicans’ $3 Trillion Vanishing Act
July 2, 2025
•27m
With a tiebreaking vote from Vice President JD Vance, the Senate has adopted President Trump’s giant domestic policy bill, which now heads back to the House for a final vote.
The legislation is defined by the staggering amount of debt it will create: more than $3 trillion.
Andrew Duehren, who covers tax policy, and Colby Smith, who covers the economy, talk about how Republicans have rewritten the rules to make that debt vanish, and why the world is less and less convinced that the United States can handle its debts.
Guest:
- Andrew Duehren, who writes about tax policy for The New York Times from Washington.
- Colby Smith, a New York Times reporter covering the Federal Reserve and the U.S. economy.
Background reading:
- The Senate bill would add at least $3.3 trillion to the national debt, the budget office says.
- The bill puts the nation on a new, more perilous fiscal path.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
Photo: Ken Cedeno/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.
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