Why One Lawyer Resigned When His Firm Caved to Trump: An Update
The Daily
12/29/25
•24m
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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.
President Trump has used executive orders to wage war on law firms, specifically targeting those whose lawyers have investigated or sued him, or represented his enemies in court.
Michael Barbaro speaks to Thomas Sipp, a lawyer who chose to quit after his firm, Skadden, negotiated a deal to placate the president.
Guest: Thomas Sipp, a lawyer who left his firm after it negotiated a deal with Mr. Trump.
Background reading:
- Listen to the original version of the episode here.
- Read about how Paul Weiss, a major democratic law firm, ended up bowing to Mr. Trump.
- Ever since the elite law firms Skadden and Paul Weiss reached deals with the Trump administration, top partners have closed ranks in support of the agreements.
Photo: Graham Dickie/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.
Previous Episode
Sunday Special: The Best Movies of 2025
December 28, 2025
•54m
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
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.
Next Episode
Family Separation 2.0: An Update
December 30, 2025
•21m
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 his first 100 days in office this term, President Trump struggled to fulfill his promise to carry out mass deportations, a reality that has prompted his administration to change its strategy.
Rather than putting its focus on migrants with a criminal record, or those who recently crossed the border, the White House is increasingly seeking to deport those who came to the United States decades ago and who have established a life, career and family in America.
Jessica Cheung, a producer on “The Daily,” tells the story of one such migrant through the eyes of his daughter.
Guest: Jessica Cheung, a senior producer at The New York Times, working on “The Daily.”
Background reading:
- Listen to the original version of the episode here.
- The Trump administration has been frustrated over the pace of deportations.
- Inside a chaotic U.S. deportation flight to Brazil.
Photo: Jose Luis Gonzalez/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.
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