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This week, your beloved hosts gather for the last time to respond to listener feedback, reflect on the state of American politics and look ahead to a new show. If you’re curious about how Carlos prepares for an episode or how the history books will remember Trump or what’s next for this feed, this is the episode for you. (A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How many times has your soul been saved? Probably not as many times as Michelle Cottle’s. In this episode, Michelle, Carlos and Ross discuss Ross’s new book, “Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious,” and explore the role religion should play in our lives and society. (A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How much is President Trump testing the Constitution? And what are the other branches of government doing about it? This week, David French and Jamelle Bouie join Carlos and Michelle to discuss how the courts and Congress could respond to Trump’s latest actions and whether the Constitution is strong enough to withstand the challenges. Plus, the best-dressed Opinion columnist makes the case for his latest fashion obsession. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)  Thoughts about the show? Email us at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Gone are the days of p***y hats and massive protests. Where is the resistance to Donald Trump’s second term? Lydia Polgreen and David French join this week to talk about the muted outcry to Trump and Musk’s plans to upend the federal government and where the most effective forms of resistance may show up.

This week, Ross Douthat talks to Steve Bannon, the chief strategist from Donald Trump’s first term and part of the original MAGA movement. Despite his clashes with new factions emerging in the Republican Party, Bannon argues that Trump is still central to advancing a populist agenda.

Are we living through “American Carnage” the sequel, or Donald Trump’s “Golden Age”? This week, Ross and Carlos welcome back Lydia to take stock of the president’s first days in office and debate what his many norm-bending actions reveal about how he plans to govern. Plus, Lydia starts an adventure in mediocrity.

The tech investor Marc Andreessen and his fellow Silicon Valley giant Elon Musk weren’t always the Donald Trump supporters they are today. In this episode, Ross asks Andreessen, a founder of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, about what led to Silicon Valley’s rightward shift and the new agenda of the tech-right faction.

Is Joe Biden more of a Jimmy Carter or a James Buchanan? It may be years before the outgoing president’s legacy is truly understood, but that didn’t stop the hosts from debating how Biden’s term in office will be remembered.

We’ll be back next week with a new episode, but in the meantime we’re kicking off 2025 with a great conversation from our friends at “The Opinions.” In this episode, the New York Times Opinion columnist David French, a lifelong evangelical, speaks to Jonathan Rauch, an atheist and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, about the crisis of Christianity in the United States and how faith might be the only way to redeem democracy.

In this special year-end conversation, Carlos and his columnist colleague Pamela Paul each share one book that can help us understand and define our current moment.

Happy holidays! Our gift to you is full access to a recent subscribers-only bonus episode. After a “stranger than fiction” presidential race, the hosts take a deep dive into the messy movie and television plots that actually put this election to shame. Enjoy!

While we are off this week, we wanted to share a great piece from our colleagues. President Biden has only a few weeks left in office. Here’s what he could do to optimize that remaining time — and improve his legacy.

Is Donald Trump the chicken or the egg? On the cusp of his second administration, the hosts dissect whether the president-elect is a cause or symptom of trends in popular culture. Plus, Michelle brings all the nostalgia to the Christmas party.

We are off for Thanksgiving. But we have a special treat for you from “The Opinions,” a fellow New York Times Opinion podcast. After our own Carlos Lozada immigrated to the U.S. from Peru as a child, he never felt being an immigrant was his overriding identity. But after years of hearing Donald Trump talk about immigration, his feelings have changed.

After a “stranger than fiction” presidential race, the hosts take a deep dive into the messy movie and television plots that actually put this election to shame.