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

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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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