The Daily

Welcome to the Sunday Special, running now through the end of the year. Every Sunday, Gilbert Cruz, the editor of The New York Times Book Review, will talk with a rotating cast of Times critics and culture and lifestyle reporters about “the fun stuff”— pop culture, movies, TV, music, fashion and more. On today’s inaugural episode, Gilbert sits down with Jon Caramanica, a pop music critic at The Times, and Madison Malone Kircher, an internet reporter at The Times, to recap their cultural highs and lows of this summer. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The acclaimed writer has a new memoir, and a warning. * Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.com * Watch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@theinterviewpodcast] * For transcripts and more, visit: nytimes.com/theinterview [https://www.nytimes.com/column/the-interview] Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Over the past 24 hours, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been plunged into turmoil. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. tried to fire the agency’s director, Susan Monarez, igniting a standoff that prompted three other senior officials to resign. One of those officials, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, explains why he chose to take a stand. Guest: Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, a former director at the C.D.C. Background reading:  * The Covid-19 pandemic made the C.D.C. a frequent target [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/health/cdc-employees-director-trump-rfk-jr.html] of lawmakers and segments of the general public. * Mr. Kennedy’s move to dismiss Dr. Monarez came after she declined to fire agency leaders [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/health/rfk-jr-susan-monarez-cdc-vaccines.html] or to accept all recommendations from a vaccine advisory panel, according to people with knowledge of the events. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily [http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily]. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Photo: Alyssa Pointer/Reuters Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

A curious news story emerged in New York last week. It involved the mayor’s race, a reporter from the news outlet The City and a bag of chips. Michael Forsythe, a reporter on the investigations team at The New York Times, explains how the episode fits into a larger story about how China has been attempting to influence American politics. Guest: Michael Forsythe [https://www.nytimes.com/by/michael-forsythe], a reporter on the investigations team at The New York Times. Background reading:  * In the past few years, community organizations have quietly foiled the careers [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/nyregion/china-consulate-new-york-elections.html] of politicians who opposed China’s authoritarian government. * Times reporters witnessed supporters of the New York mayor, Eric Adams, handing out cash-filled envelopes [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/21/nyregion/eric-adams-chinese-cash-envelopes.html]. Sometimes, that money went to reporters from Chinese-language outlets. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily [http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily]. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Photo: Shuran Huang 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 [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

President Trump’s decision to try to fire a member of the Federal Reserve’s governing board is his most audacious attack yet on the independence of the central bank. Ben Casselman, chief economics correspondent for The New York Times, discusses why Mr. Trump’s route to controlling the Fed passes through the governor, an economics professor named Lisa Cook. Guest: Ben Casselman [https://www.nytimes.com/by/ben-casselman], the chief economics correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading:  * Mr. Trump’s move to fire Ms. Cook [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/us/politics/lisa-cook-fired-trump-fed.html] is a legally dubious maneuver that could undermine the independence of the nation’s central bank. * Seeking to retool the Fed, Mr. Trump risks upending a pillar of the global economy [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/us/politics/trump-fed-lisa-cook.html]. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily [http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily]. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://nytimes.com/podcasts] or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.