logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2024
29m 55s

The Metamorphosis of Pete Hegseth

The New York Times
About this episode

Now that Matt Gaetz has withdrawn from consideration as attorney general, President-elect Donald J. Trump’s most controversial cabinet pick is his selection of Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense.

Dave Philipps, who reports on war and the military for The Times, discusses three major deployments that shaped how Mr. Hegseth views the military — and why, if confirmed, he’s so dead-set on disrupting its leadership.

Guest: Dave Philipps, who reports about war, the military and veterans for The New York Times.

Background reading: 

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.

Up next
Today
A Consequential Supreme Court Term Begins With a Conversion Therapy Case
Warning: this episode contains mentions of suicide.In one of the first cases of the Supreme Court’s new term, the justices considered whether to strike down a ban on conversion therapy, the contentious practice that aims to change a young person’s sexual orientation.Ann E. Marimo ... Show More
30m 29s
Yesterday
Trump Claims ‘Rebellion’ in American Cities
Over the past week, ICE and border patrol agents have clashed with Chicago residents, and federal guard troops arriving in the city might inflame tensions further.Julie Bosman, Chicago bureau chief for The Times, and Mattathias Schwartz describe the situation on the ground and ex ... Show More
34m 31s
Oct 7
Marriage and Sex in the Age of Ozempic
In the last few years, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound have been radically reshaping the people’s lives, changing appetites and health.But the drugs also have the power to affect other parts of consumers’ lives, including their romantic relationships.Lisa Miller ... Show More
37m 17s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
Who's Running America... Trump's Defence Chief (Pete Hegseth)
Our latest mini series is here and this time we're profiling some of the key players in Donald Trump's presidency, who are now running America. Over the next few weeks, new profiles will drop every Sunday.Pete Hegseth is the new Secretary of Defence, overseeing America’s military ... Show More
28m 10s
Sep 19
Trump Cancels Kimmel
Caving to a pressure campaign from Donald Trump's FCC, Disney pulls Jimmy Kimmel's show off the air. Jon and Dan are joined by newly minted Crooked contributor Alex Wagner to discuss Trump's attacks on Kimmel and his new lawsuit against The New York Times, the impending takeover ... Show More
1h 15m
Sep 5
Trump's Very Convincing Body Double
The internet enjoys a brief freakout about the possibility that Trump might be dead. (He isn't.) Senators from both parties press RFK Jr. on his dismantling of the CDC and his accelerating war on vaccines. Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein hold a press conference on Capitol Hill to an ... Show More
1h 20m
Sep 5
Trump Administration Interpretation Of Civil Rights Act Reshapes Public Schools
President Trump pledged to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, but his administration is also using the department’s Office for Civil Rights to pressure local school districts to adhere to Trump’s political views. We discuss these tactics and how they fit into a broader c ... Show More
25m 8s
Sep 2
Trump's "tough on crime" spree
President Donald Trump thinks he solved crime in the nation's capital. Let’s take a look at the data (which he says is dubious). This episode was produced by Peter Balonon-Rosen, edited by Amina Al-Sadi, fact-checked by Laura Bullard, engineered by Andrea Kristinsdottir, and host ... Show More
25m 48s
Apr 2025
Trump's First 100 Days: Project 2025 & Its Influence
The Heritage Foundation's "blueprint" for a new Republican administration got a lot of attention during the 2024 presidential campaign. While candidate Donald Trump said he "had never read" the document, President Trump has incorporated many of its policies, and authors, into his ... Show More
15m 3s
Sep 8
How America’s Largest Bank Helped Jeffrey Epstein, and a Show of Resistance in D.C.
Plus, why you’re wrong about your Zodiac sign.On Today’s Episode:How JPMorgan Enabled the Crimes of Jeffrey Epstein, by David Enrich, Matthew Goldstein and Jessica Silver-GreenbergRussia Unleashes Largest Drone Assault of War, Setting Government Building Ablaze, by Andrew E. Kram ... Show More
10m 38s
Apr 2025
Trump's First 100 Days: Wading Into The Culture Wars
On the campaign trail, candidate Donald Trump decried "gender ideology," said the military was becoming too "woke," and that DEI programs across the federal government should be ended. As president, his executive actions & policies have mirrored his campaign promises in attemptin ... Show More
19m 1s
Aug 30
Sources & Methods: Trump's DC takeover, Ukraine, fired spy chief
Today, we're excited to share an episode from NPR's newest podcast, Sources & Methods. Each Thursday, host Mary Louise Kelly breaks down the week's biggest national security news with NPR's team of reporters covering the military, State Department, and spy agencies. NPR correspon ... Show More
33m 18s
Apr 2025
Why Autism Cases are Still Rising
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention release a study showing 1 out of 31 American children have autism. Former President Biden breaks his silence, chastising the Trump administration over Social Security. And the “school choice” movement finds a new group of allies: urb ... Show More
35m 19s