The Daily

Trump Goes After Venezuela’s Oil

In it escalating campaign against Venezuela, the Trump administration has gone from shooting drug boats to trying to seize oil tankers in the Caribbean. Anatoly Kurmanaev, a foreign correspondent for The New York Times who has spent years covering Venezuela, explains why President Trump is shifting his strategy, and what that might tell us about his true endgame. Guest: Anatoly Kurmanaev [https://www.nytimes.com/by/anatoly-kurmanaev], a reporter for The New York Times covering Russia and its transformation following the invasion of Ukraine. Background reading: Venezuela’s oil exports have plummeted after the United States took action against three tankers [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/23/world/americas/trump-tankers-venezuela-oil-industry.html] carrying crude. Photo: Satellite image ©2025 Vantor, via Associated Press 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.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://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 [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.

The Origins of Jeffrey Epstein

The latest release of files related to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein left key questions unanswered about his rise to power and his connections to the president. David Enrich, an investigations editor at The New York Times, explains how he worked with a team of reporters to fill in those mysteries and reveal the truth about Mr. Epstein’s origins. Guest: David Enrich [https://www.nytimes.com/by/david-enrich], a deputy investigations editor for The New York Times. Background reading:  * The release of the Epstein files revealed new photos [https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/12/19/us/epstein-files-release], but many files were withheld. * This is the untold story [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/16/magazine/jeffrey-epstein-money-scams-investigation.html] of how Mr. Epstein got rich. 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.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://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 [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.

The Messy Reality of ‘Made in America’

The construction of a giant factory complex in Arizona was supposed to embody the Trump administration’s ability to bring manufacturing back to the United States. But undertaking big projects is not as simple as it seems. Peter S. Goodman, who writes about the intersection of economics and geopolitics for The New York Times, explains why. Guest: Peter S. Goodman [https://www.nytimes.com/by/peter-s-goodman], who covers the global economy for The New York Times. Background reading:  * Read about the 18,000 or so reasons [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/business/tsmc-phoenix-fab.html] that make it so hard to build a chip factory in the United States. Photo: Loren Elliott for The New York Times 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.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://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 [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.

Sunday Special: The Best TV of 2025

In these final weeks of 2025, The Sunday Special is looking back at the year in culture. Today, we’re talking about the TV we watched this year — the best shows, the most popular ones and the ones that allowed us to just enjoyably veg out. Gilbert Cruz talks with the TV critic James Poniewozik and the culture reporter Alexis Soloski about the year in television. TV shows discussed in this episode: “Severance” “Common Side Effects” “Too Much” “Nobody Wants This” “Dying for Sex” “The Hunting Wives” “The White Lotus” “Dr. Odyssey” “Long Story Short” “Heated Rivalry” “Andor” “The Lowdown” “Platonic” “Pluribus” “The Pitt” “Adolescence” On Today’s Episode: James Poniewozik [https://www.nytimes.com/by/james-poniewozik] is the chief TV critic for The New York Times. Alexis Soloski [https://www.nytimes.com/by/alexis-soloski] is a culture reporter for The Times. Background Reading: Best TV Shows of 2025 [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/arts/television/best-tv-shows-of-2025.html] The Best TV Episodes of 2025 [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/arts/television/best-tv-episodes-2025.html] Photo Credit: Apple TV+; Netflix; Lucasfilm/Disney+; HBO Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://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 [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.

'The Interview': Raja Shehadeh Believes Israelis and Palestinians Can Still Find Peace

The writer and lawyer has been documenting the occupation for decades. Somehow, he maintains hope. * 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] Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts [http://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 [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.