The Opinions

Younger men are increasingly seeking out older women — and it’s not just a dating trend. It’s a shift in power, desire and modern masculinity.

In this episode of “The Opinions,” the Opinion culture editor Nadja Spiegelman talks with the writer and psychoanalyst Jamieson Webster and Emily Leibert, a staff writer at The Cut, about why age-gap relationships are so popular and whether they signal liberation, backlash or something more complicated.

Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Alison Bruzek, Kaari Pitkin and Jasmine Romero. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Steph Khoury. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Isaac Jones, Pat McCusker, Carole Sabouraud and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Regardless of how the war with Iran ends, the damage to America’s reputation has already been done, the Opinion columnist Carlos Lozada argues. This week, he joins the contributing Opinion writer E.J. Dionne Jr. and the former “All Things Considered” host Robert Siegel to discuss Trump’s approach to power and the end of America’s role as the leader of the free world.

Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Steph Khoury. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Sonia Herrero and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The right is known for using provocative language. But lately there’s been a push to be transgressive, even on the left — from the return of certain slurs to the removal of pronouns from bios. Nadja Spiegelman, a Times Opinion culture editor, is joined by the writer and culture critic Aminatou Sow and the New York magazine writer Brock Colyar to debate whether our culture is abandoning political correctness — and if so, why? Plus, stick around to hear what words Aminatou and Brock would like to ban.

Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Jasmine Romero. Mixing by Isaac Jones. Video editing by Jan Kobal and Arpita Aneja. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker, Isaac Jones and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

President Trump claims America is “winning bigger than ever before,” but his battles abroad and in American courtrooms drag on. This week on “The Opinions,” the national politics writer Michelle Cottle and the columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French discuss Trump’s efforts to build support for the war in Iran. And in domestic politics, the trio discuss why even conservative Supreme Court judges seem skeptical of the administration’s push to end birthright citizenship.

Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Jillian Weinberger. Mixing by Daniel Ramirez. Video editing by Arpita Aneja and Kristen Williamson. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Isaac Jones and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Maintaining a relationship with a convicted family member can be complicated. The columnist M. Gessen would know.

In a new podcast series from Serial called “The Idiot,” M. grapples with the fact that their first cousin committed a terrible crime. In 2024, a federal judge sentenced Allen to 10 years in prison for taking out a hit on his ex-wife, the mother of his children.

Now, M. talks about their dilemma with their friend Harriet Clark, whose mother, Judy Clark, served 37 years in prison for driving the getaway car in a robbery that led to the deaths of three people. Harriet explains how the adults in her life gave her the opportunity to create and sustain a strong relationship with her mother, and why M. should do the same for Allen’s children.

Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].

This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Original music by Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouruad. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.