The Washington Roundtable discusses Donald Trump’s transition back into the White House, the world he will inherit in 2025, and his provocative nomination of Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense. In their final Roundtable episode of 2024, Susan B. Glasser, Jane Mayer, and Evan Osnos also reflect on the twists and turns of the past year in politics, including what to make of President Joe Biden’s legacy.

This week’s reading:

“The Scandal of Trump’s Cabinet Picks Isn’t Just Their Personal Failings,” by Susan B. Glasser
“Pete Hegseth’s Secret History,” by Jane Mayer
“The Demise and Afterlife of Donald Trump’s Criminal Cases,” by Jeannie Suk Gersen
“Biden’s Pardon of Hunter Further Undermines His Legacy,” by Isaac Chotiner
“Stopping the Press,” by David Remnick
“The Immigrants Most Vulnerable to Trump’s Mass Deportation Plans Entered the Country Legally,” by Jonathan Blitzer

To discover more podcasts from The New Yorker, visit newyorker.com/podcasts. To send in feedback on this episode, write to themail@newyorker.com with “The Political Scene” in the subject line.

Is Trump’s “Shock and Awe” Transition Working?

The Political Scene | The New Yorker