The Political Scene | The New Yorker

The über-rich have enjoyed a remarkable degree of sway in Donald Trump’s Washington—but they may now be facing a backlash. The Washington Roundtable traces the signs of invigorated “pitchfork politics,” such as Zohran Mamdani’s pied-à-terre tax in New York, a wealth tax on the ballot in California, and recent protests against the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s involvement in the Met Gala—and what these efforts reveal about the cultural and political limits of oligarchy. The panel is joined by Brooke Harrington, a Dartmouth professor of economic sociology who trained as a wealth manager to embed inside the world of the super-rich. Together they examine whether the “broligarchs” have overplayed their hand, what history tells us about when élites lose their grip on power, and whether the left or the right is better positioned to harness growing inequality and anger as a political weapon heading into the 2026 midterms and beyond.
This week’s reading:

“All the President’s Contractors,” by Antonia Hitchens

“Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Complicated Commemoration,” by Jelani Cobb

“For Putin, Problems (and Paranoia) Keep Mounting,” by Joshua Yaffa

“The Pope’s First Anniversary Is Marked by More Sparring from the White House,” by Paul Elie

“Barack Obama Considers His Role in the Age of Trump,” by Peter Slevin

“How the Iran War Is Shifting Power Toward China,” by Ishaan Tharoor

“The A.I. Industry Is Booming. When Will It Actually Make Money?,” by John Cassidy

“How a Congressional Primary Became a Proxy Battle Over A.I.,” by Gideon Lewis-Kraus

“The Real Cost of Downsizing Social Security,” by E. Tammy Kim

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 
Tune in to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts.

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The New Yorker’s general counsel, Fabio Bertoni, joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss Kash Patel’s two-hundred-and-fifty-million-dollar lawsuit against The Atlantic, on claims that the magazine defamed the F.B.I. director in an article that alleges on-duty inebriation and other misconduct by Patel. Bertoni and Foggatt examine the legal rationale behind Patel’s accusations, and the questions that the case raises about the use of anonymous sources, by The Atlantic and other publications. They also explore how Patel’s suit fits into President Donald Trump’s longstanding litigious relationship with the press, and the broader wave of lawsuits that Trump has brought against media organizations. Will these cases influence the kind of reporting that outlets are willing to publish, let alone pursue? Bertoni and Foggatt consider whether existing press protections are strong enough to withstand the mounting legal attacks.
This week’s reading:

“Kash Patel’s Implausible Lawsuit Against The Atlantic,” by Fabio Bertoni

“How the Iran War Is Shifting Power Toward China,” by Ishaan Tharoor

“Was the Declaration of Independence Better Before the Edits?,” by Jill Lepore

“Barack Obama Considers His Role in the Age of Trump,” by Peter Slevin

“How the Supreme Court Demolished the Voting Rights Act,” by Jeannie Suk Gersen

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 
Tune in to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts.

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In the governor’s race in California, the leading Republican candidate appears to be Steve Hilton, a British-born political consultant and former Fox News contributor. Hilton has been endorsed by Donald Trump, which may not help him in the heavily Democratic state. His lead may owe something to California’s unusual primary system, but it’s not the first time a Republican has had a strong showing in the state: former Republican governors include Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Hilton is running on a platform emphasizing affordability, cutting waste in the government, and increasing oil and natural-gas production. He talks with David Remnick about how a Republican might win this election, and how he would govern with a minority of Californians supporting him.

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 
Tune in to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts.

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The New Yorker staff writer Antonia Hitchens joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss a surreal week in Washington: the attempted assassination of Donald Trump during the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, followed days later by a state visit from King Charles III and Queen Camilla. They talk about what Hitchens witnessed inside the Hilton ballroom during the shooting attempt, and how Washington responded in the days that followed. They also discuss the state of the “special relationship” between the United States and the United Kingdom, how Trump embraced the pageantry of the royal visit, and what King Charles’s trip was meant to signal diplomatically. They also explore what the week’s whiplash reveals about covering politics during the second Trump term.
This week’s reading:

“D.C. Gets a King It Actually Wants,” by Antonia Hitchens

“Inside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as Gunshots Rang Out,” by Antonia Hitchens

“Can the E.P.A. Survive Lee Zeldin?,” by Elizabeth Kolbert

“The Kirkification of Our Troubled Times,” by Brady Brickner-Wood

“Donald Trump’s Lose-Lose Negotiations with Iran,” by Isaac Chotiner

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 
Tune in to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts.

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One of Donald Trump’s few critics within his party is the libertarian-leaning senator Rand Paul, from Kentucky. Paul was recently the sole Republican to vote in favor of restricting the President’s power to make war in Iran. He also opposed Trump on tariff policy, and on his budget bill in 2025. “He loves voting ‘NO’ on everything,” the President fumed. Paul ran for President in 2016, and is considering another run for the White House in 2028. He talks with David Remnick about how he would differentiate himself from J. D. Vance and Marco Rubio; about his opposition to the attack on Iran; and about Pete Hegseth invoking Christianity in the war. “People quoting the Old Testament about smiting the enemy” concerns Paul greatly: “If this becomes Christians versus Muslims, I don’t see a quick end to a war.”
 Further reading: 

“The End of Limits on a President’s Wars,” by Ruth Marcus

“Why Rand Paul Ran Aground,” by Kelefa Sanneh

The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine’s writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week. 
Tune in to The Political Scene wherever you get your podcasts.

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