The Political Scene | The New Yorker
America’s “Bad Emperor” Problem
December 6, 2025·35 min·4-min readroundtablepolitics
Podzilla Summary (4 min)
TLDR
President Donald Trump, now 79 and the oldest sitting president in U.S. history, is facing intensifying scrutiny over his physical stamina, mental acuity, and ability to govern, as multiple reports document him nodding off during cabinet meetings, working drastically reduced hours, and ex
President Donald Trump, now 79 and the oldest sitting president in U.S. history, is facing intensifying scrutiny over his physical stamina, mental acuity, and ability to govern, as multiple reports document him nodding off during cabinet meetings, working drastically reduced hours, and ex
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Mentions
Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.
People
Donald TrumpJoe BidenJane MayerSusan B. GlasserEvan OsnosRonald ReaganPete HegsethMarco Rubio
Books
The Bad Emperor Problemby Francis Fukuyama
Topics
AuthoritarianismDemocracyInvestigative JournalismLong Form JournalismPolitical NewsSupreme CourtUs Politics
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