The New Yorker staff writer Isaac Chotiner joins Tyler Foggatt to reflect on several of the most notable interviews he conducted in 2025. They discuss competing theories about the origins of political violence over the past year, how to understand President Trump’s approach to power in his second term, and the challenges of covering an Administration that rarely appears to be driven by a coherent ideological framework. They also revisit two high-profile interviews: one with the former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, about her decision to leave the Democratic Party, and another with the legal scholar Cass Sunstein, on the limits of “big tent” politics and his curious friendship with Henry Kissinger.

This week’s reading:

“In the Wake of Australia’s Hanukkah Beach Massacre,” by Isaac Chotiner
“The Federal Judge at the Trump Rally,” by Ruth Marcus
“The Year in Trump Cashing In,” by John Cassidy
“The Party Politics of Sovereign House,” by Emma Green
“Want to Talk to Zohran Mamdani? Get in Line,” by Eric Lach

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.

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Isaac Chotiner Sums Up Politics in 2025

The Political Scene | The New Yorker