Why Is Donald Trump Picking a Fight with Canada?

Why Is Donald Trump Picking a Fight with Canada?

Author: The New Yorker September 5, 2026 Duration: 33:32
The Washington Roundtable explores how Donald Trump’s wars of choice abroad, whether using tariffs or bombs, are dragging down his popularity at home. The panel looks at the baffling trade fight with Canada, the deepening quagmire in Iran, and the President’s recent embrace of data centers—all of which, they argue, could cost Republicans in the midterms. “He is seen as so toxic that a number of Republican candidates in districts that Trump won significantly before are saying, ‘Don’t send him here. We don’t wanna campaign with him,’ ” the staff writer Jane Mayer observes. “That, in politics, is the ultimate kiss-off. Goodbye.” This week’s reading: “Donald Trump’s Capital Makeover,” by Antonia Hitchens “How Donald Trump Outmaneuvers the Supreme Court,” by Ruth Marcus “How Much Is the Iran War Costing Americans?,” by John Cassidy “What If Canada Joined the E.U.?,” by Ishaan Tharoor “Was ‘Defund the Police’ Crazy?,” by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor 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. Show less Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Each week, The Political Scene | The New Yorker brings the magazine’s signature depth and clarity directly to your ears. This isn’t just a recap of headlines; it’s a sustained conversation with the people who spend their days investigating the forces shaping our world. You’ll hear from the publication’s own writers and editors, whose reporting and analysis provide essential context for understanding today’s complex political landscape. The rhythm of the week structures these discussions: Mondays feature editor David Remnick in thoughtful conversations and narratives about unfolding events. Then, on Wednesdays, senior editor Tyler Foggatt selects one consequential story and explores it thoroughly through interviews with both New Yorker staff and leading outside voices. Fridays round out the week with contributions from the magazine’s staff writers, offering their distinct perspectives. Tuning into this podcast means getting behind the scenes of the journalism itself, listening as sharp minds dissect power, policy, and the human stories at the heart of it all. It’s for anyone who wants to move beyond the noise and find a more nuanced, informed take on American politics and global affairs.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

The Political Scene | The New Yorker
Podcast Episodes
What Biden Officials Wish They Had Done Differently in Gaza [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:54
The New Yorker staff writer David D. Kirkpatrick joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss the Biden Administration’s failure to restrain Israel during its military campaign in Gaza. They talk about what Kirkpatrick has learned fro…
Donald Trump Can’t Quit the 2020 Election [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:00
The Washington Roundtable discusses Donald Trump’s latest attempt to relitigate the 2020 election. In a prime-time speech on Thursday, he argued that newly declassified documents suggest that U.S. election systems are vu…
Can California Actually Make Billionaires Pay? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:42
Dave Regan, the president of the prominent California union S.E.I.U.-United Healthcare Workers West, joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss Proposition 40, a ballot measure that would impose a one-time, five-per-cent tax on the…
The Platner Implosion, and What It Means for Democrats [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:20
The Washington Roundtable digs into the stunning collapse of Graham Platner’s Senate campaign in Maine, and what it means for the Democratic Party’s performance in the upcoming midterms. The hosts are joined by Neera Tan…
From Critics at Large: An American Playlist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:40
The Washington Roundtable will return next Friday. To commemorate two hundred and fifty years of the American experiment, the hosts of The New Yorker’s Critics at Large podcast, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandr…
America at 250: A View from Britain, with “The Rest Is History” [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:14
Americans tend to see the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War as milestones in world history that inaugurated the era of modern democracy. But the British, unsurprisingly, see these events quite differe…
Donald Trump's Dangerous Politicization of America's Spy Agencies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:03
The Washington Roundtable is joined by Jeff Stein, the veteran political reporter and founding editor of the newsletter “Spytalk,” to examine Donald Trump’s appointment of Bill Pulte as the new acting Director of Nationa…