How Elon Musk Is Infiltrating Washington

02/05/25 • 32 min

17 Listeners

Elon Musk and his team have taken a hacksaw to the federal bureaucracy one agency at a time, and the question has become whether he’s on a crusade that will leave the government paralyzed or deliver a shake-up it has needed for years.

Jonathan Swan, a White House reporter for The New York Times, takes us inside this hostile takeover of Washington.

Guests: Jonathan Swan, a White House reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading:

Inside Mr. Musk’s aggressive incursion into the federal government.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Jonathan Swan, a White House reporter for The New York Times, takes us inside this hostile takeover of Washington.

Guests: Jonathan Swan, a White House reporter for The New York Times.

Background reading:

Inside Mr. Musk’s aggressive incursion into the federal government.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Photo: Mike Segar/Reuters

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Previous Episode

North America Averted a Trade War — for Now

1 Recommendations

North America came within hours of a multibillion dollar trade war that was poised to hobble the economies of Mexico and Canada.

The Times journalists Ana Swanson, Matina Stevis-Gridneff and Simon Romero discuss the last-minute negotiations that headed off the crisis — for now.

Guests: Ana Swanson, who covers trade and international economics for The New York Times; Matina Stevis-Gridneff, the Canada bureau chief for The New York Times; and Simon Romero, an international correspondent for The New York Times based in Mexico City.

Background reading:

President Trump agreed to delay tariffs on Mexico and Canada for a month after both countries pledged to do more to block drugs and migrants.
What does Mr. Trump really want from Canada and Mexico?

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Photo: Jeff Kowalsky/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Next Episode

Where Are the Democrats?

1 Recommendations

How is the Democratic Party navigating the dominance of President Trump — and reckoning with the reality that more and more voters have been souring on its message?

The Times journalists Michael Barbaro, Shane Goldmacher, Reid J. Epstein and Annie Karni discuss the state of the Democrats.

Guests: Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The New York Times; Reid J. Epstein, a New York Times reporter covering politics; Annie Karni, a congressional correspondent at The New York Times.

Background reading:

“We have no coherent message”: Democrats have struggled to oppose President Trump.
Democrats chose a political operator from Minnesota as their new leader.
The House Democratic Super PAC created a $50 million fund targeting the working class.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.