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Pressure and litigation appear to have been the pillars of President Trump’s response to his general election loss.His team filed a litany of court cases in battleground states. In some, such as Georgia and Michigan, the president and his allies took an even more bullish approach, attempting to use their influence to bear down on election officials.As preparations for the transfer of power finally get underway, we take a look at how the Trump campaign’s attempts to overturn the election played out.Guest: Jim Rutenberg, a writer-at-large for The New York Times and The Times Magazine, walks us through the Trump campaign’s strategy in key states. We want to hear from you. Fill out our survey about The Daily and other shows at: nytimes.com/thedailysurveyFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: The Trump administration’s authorization of the transition process is a strong sign that the president’s last-ditch bid to overturn the results of the election is coming to an end. But he has yet to concede the election.In a chaotic effort to overturn the election results, the president and his campaign lawyers have spent weeks claiming without convincing proof that rampant fraud corrupted vote tallies in many battleground states.These efforts heavily targeted cities with large Black populations.

This week New York City’s public schools will close their doors and students will once again undertake online instruction.The shutdown was triggered when 3 percent of coronavirus tests in the city came back positive over seven days. There are questions, however, around this number being used as a trigger — some health officials maintain that schools are safe.When is the right time for schools to reopen and what is the right threshold for closures? We explore what lessons New York City’s struggles hold for the rest of the nation.Guest: Eliza Shapiro, who covers New York City education for The New York Times, walks us through the city’s decision to reopen schools and the difficult decision to shut them down. We want to hear from you. Fill out our survey about The Daily and other shows at: nytimes.com/thedailysurveyFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: New York City’s public school system will close this week, moving to all-remote instruction and disrupting the education of roughly 300,000 children.As schools close again, frustrated and angry parents say the decision does not make the city safer.

For years, Wil S. Hylton had been drawn to his cousin’s strength and violence. He was pulled in by the archetype that he embodied and was envious of the power he seemed to command.Wil describes his relative’s violence as “ambient” and “endemic,” but he was sure it wouldn’t turn on him. Until a few years ago, when his cousin tried to kill him.“My attraction to my cousin and my detachment as a husband both reside in the pantheon of male tropes,” he wrote. “Masculinity is a religion. It’s a compendium of saints: the vaunted patriarch, the taciturn cowboy, the errant knight, the reluctant hero, the gentle giant and omniscient father.”On today’s Sunday Read, Wil’s wide-ranging exploration of masculinity.This story was written by Wil S. Hylton and recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

When the pandemic struck, Patty Schachtner, in her capacity as both a member of the Wisconsin State Senate and chief medical officer for St. Croix County, tried to remain one step ahead. It was an approach criticized by many in her conservative community. She was preparing for the worst-case scenario. And now it has arrived — cases and deaths are on the rise in Wisconsin. We chart her journey through the months of the pandemic.Guest: Julie Bosman, who covers the Midwest for The New York Times, spoke with Patty Schachtner over several months about how she was experiencing the pandemic.We want to hear from you. Fill out our survey about The Daily and other shows at: nytimes.com/thedailysurveyFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: The recent coronavirus outbreak in Wisconsin has escalated rapidly. Here is our case tracker for the state.As coronavirus cases rise across the United States, death rates have been rising far more slowly. But there are signs that this is shifting. Last week, Wisconsin was among a number of states that recorded more deaths in the previous seven days than in any other week of the pandemic. 

There are several figures that tell the story of the American economy right now.Some are surprisingly positive — the housing market is booming — while others paint a more dire picture.Using seven key numbers, we look at the sectors that have been affected most profoundly and consider what the path to recovery might look like.Guest: Ben Casselman, who covers economics and business for The New York Times, walks us through the pandemic’s impact.We want to hear from you. Fill out our survey about The Daily and other shows at: nytimes.com/thedailysurveyFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: Here is Ben’s snapshot of the key data points for understanding the impact of the pandemic on the economy.The expiration of two critical programs at the end of this year could leave millions of Americans vulnerable and short-circuit the nation’s precarious recovery.

President Trump is pushing the military to accelerate the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, all but guaranteeing a major place for the Taliban in the country’s future.As a child, Mujib Mashal lived through the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. Now a senior correspondent there for The New York Times, he has for years reported on the extremist group and, more recently, has covered the progress of peace talks.In this episode of “The Daily,” he shares memories of his childhood and tales from his reporting, and reflects on whether a peaceful resolution is possible.Guest: Mujib Mashal, senior correspondent in Afghanistan for The New York Times. We want to hear from you. Fill out our survey about The Daily and other shows at: nytimes.com/thedailysurveyFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: President Trump is expected to order the U.S. military to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia by the time he leaves office in January.The Taliban have outlasted a superpower through nearly 19 years of grinding war and now stand on the brink of realizing their most fervent desire: U.S. troops leaving Afghanistan. They have given up little of their extremist ideology to do it.Children of men who played key roles in the war against the Soviets in the 1980s are on both sides of the negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban. They know all too well what is at stake.

As it became clear that Europe was heading into another deadly wave of the coronavirus, most of the continent returned to lockdown. European leaders pushed largely similar messages, asking citizens to take measures to protect one another again, and governments offered broad financial support.Weeks later, the effort seems to be working and infection rates are slowing.In several parts of the United States, it’s a different story. In the Midwest, which is experiencing an explosion of cases similar to that seen earlier in Europe, leaders have not yet managed to come up with a coherent approach to loosen the virus’s grip.Is it too late for America to learn the lessons from Europe?Guests: Matina Stevis-Gridneff, who covers the European Union for The New York Times, and Mitch Smith, a national correspondent for The Times based in the Midwest.  We want to hear from you. Fill out our survey about The Daily and other shows at: nytimes.com/thedailysurvey. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: Much of Europe went back into lockdown late last month to try to stop the spread of the virus and ease the strain on hospitals.After weeks of warnings that cases were again on the rise, a third surge of coronavirus infection has firmly taken hold in the United States.As cases grow, the pandemic is becoming so widespread in the United States that every American will know someone who has been infected.

For four years, Democrats had been united behind the mission of defeating President Trump.But after the election of Joe Biden, the party’s disappointing showing in congressional races — losing seats in the House and facing a struggle for even narrow control of the Senate — has exposed the rifts between progressives and moderates.In interviews with The New York Times, House members on each side of that divide — Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Representative Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania — shared their views about how the Democrats can win back support in local races.We want to hear from you. Fill out our survey about The Daily and other shows at: nytimes.com/thedailysurvey  Guest: Astead W. Herndon, a national political reporter for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: In the wake of Joe Biden’s victory, the divides that have long simmered among Democrats are now beginning to burst into the open.In an interview with The New York Times, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dismissed criticism from House moderates and said the next few weeks would set the tone for how the incoming administration would be received by liberal activists.Representative Conor Lamb told The Times that he expected the Biden team to govern as it had campaigned: with progressives at arm’s length.

For the folk duo Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, pandemic isolation brought about a creative boon. In a year that has been defined by uncertainty, they have returned to what they know: songs about the slow, challenging, beautiful heat of living.This story was written by Hanif Abdurraqib and recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

Maggie Haberman on why the traditional transfer of power is not happening this year, and the implications of that delay. Guest: Maggie Haberman, a White House correspondent for The New York Times For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: Days after President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. was declared the winner of the election, President Trump has still refused to concede.Advisers to the president say Mr. Trump is seeing how far he can push his case and ensure the continued support of his Republican base.A number of leading Republicans have rallied around the president, declining to challenge the false narrative that it was stolen from him. Instead, senators have tiptoed around the reality of Mr. Trump’s loss, and the lack of evidence to suggest widespread election fraud or improprieties that could reverse that result.

It’s a dark time in the struggle with the coronavirus, particularly in the United States, where infections and hospitalizations have surged.But amid the gloom comes some light: A trial by the drug maker Pfizer has returned preliminary results suggesting that its vaccine is 90 percent effective in preventing Covid-19.With the virus raging, how strong is this new ray of hope?Guest: Carl Zimmer, a science writer and author of the “Matter” column for The New York Times.Background reading: Pfizer has announced positive early results from its coronavirus vaccine trial, cementing the lead in a frenzied global race that has unfolded at record-breaking speed.Meet the couple behind the German company, BioNTech, that partnered with Pfizer to develop the vaccine.We want to hear from you. Fill out our survey about this show and others at nytimes.com/thedailysurvey.

After the tumult of last week’s voting, one crucial question remains: Who will control the Senate?The answer lies in Georgia, where two runoff elections in January will decide who has the advantage in the upper chamber.With so much at stake, we look at how those races might shake out.Guest: Julie Herschfeld Davis, congressional editor for The New York Times.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Background reading: Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler have leveled unfounded claims of foul play in Georgia’s elections, a signal that their campaigns will focus on turning out President Trump’s conservative base.What’s a runoff, and why are there two? Here’s an explainer on the Senate races in Georgia.

Nate Cohn, an expert on polling for The New York Times, knows that the predictions for the 2016 presidential election were bad.But this year, he says, they were even worse.So, what happened?Nate talks us through a few of his theories and considers whether, after two flawed performances, polling should be ditched.Guest: Nate Cohn, a domestic correspondent for The Upshot at The New York Times, speaks to us about the polls and breaks down the election results. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: As the results rolled in on Tuesday night, so did a strong sense of déjà vu. Pre-election polls, it appeared, had been misleading once again.Leading Republicans — including Senator Mitch McConnell, the majority leader — have backed President Trump’s refusal to concede.

This episode contains strong language.The sound of victory was loud. It was banging pots, honking horns and popping corks as supporters of President-elect Joe Biden celebrated his win.But loss, too, has a sound. In the days after the U.S. election result was announced, some of the 71 million-plus Americans who backed President Trump are grieving. Can the country overcome its differences? In discussions with voters in areas both red and blue, we traced the fault lines of the country’s deep rifts.Guest: Astead W. Herndon, a Times national political reporter, spoke with voters in Mason County, Texas. Robert Jimison, Jessica Cheung and Andy Mills, producers of “The Daily,” and Alix Spiegel, an editor, also reported from across the country.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: In his victory speech, President-elect Biden vowed to try to unite all Americans, despite ideological differences. But President Trump’s refusal to concede could undermine Mr. Biden’s perceived legitimacy in some corners of the country.In the aftermath of the election, a crucial question emerged for divided families and a divided nation: What happens now?

On the afternoon of Sept. 15, 1942, the U.S.S. Wasp, an aircraft carrier housing 71 planes, 2,247 sailors and a journalist, was hit by torpedoes fired by a Japanese submarine, sending it more than two and a half miles to the bottom of the Pacific. It has remained there ever since.Last year, a team on the Petrel — perhaps the most successful private vessel on Earth for finding deepwater wrecks — set out to find it.In his narrated story, Ed Caesar, a contributor to The New York Times Magazine, joins the team aboard the Petrel and speaks to the family of Lt. Cmdr. John Joseph Shea, a heroic naval officer killed in the attack on the Wasp.This story was written by Ed Caesar and recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

After days of uncertainty, Joe Biden has been elected president, becoming the first candidate in more than a quarter of a century to beat an incumbent. His running mate, Kamala Harris, is the first woman and woman of color elected vice president.Mr. Biden’s win is set to be contested — President Trump said in a statement that “the election is far from over.”Today we host a roundtable of three Times political journalists who discuss the election results, Mr. Biden’s victory and Mr. Trump’s next move.Guest: Alexander Burns, a national political correspondent for The New York Times; Maggie Haberman, a White House correspondent for The Times; and Jim Rutenberg, a writer-at-large for The Times and The New York Times Magazine.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: Mr. Biden achieved victory offering a message of healing and unity. He will return to Washington facing a daunting set of crises.He has spent his career devoted to institutions and relationships. Those are the tools he will rely on to govern a fractured nation.

When President Trump took to the podium in the White House briefing room Thursday evening to give a statement on the election count, he lied about the legality of the votes against him in key battleground states and called into question the integrity of poll workers, laying a conspiracy at the feet of Democrats.Both the Republican establishment and the conservative news media have been split in their responses to his claims.Inside the White House and the Trump campaign, there is shock at the direction the contest has taken — many in his camp believed that a win was certain.Guest: Maggie Haberman, a White House correspondent for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: In a stunning appearance in the White House, Mr. Trump lied about vote-counting, conjuring up a conspiracy of “legal” and “illegal” ballots being tabulated and claiming without evidence that states were trying to deny him re-election.

By the end of election night, the results in six key states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — were still to be called.On Wednesday, as mail-in ballots were totaled up, Joe Biden gained ground, taking Michigan and Wisconsin and placing him within striking distance of the Electoral College votes needed to win the White House.The count is still in progress in many places. Mr. Biden is leading by a decent margin in Arizona and slightly in Nevada, while President Trump’s advantage in Georgia and Pennsylvania has been narrowing.As the former vice president formed paths to victory, Mr. Trump continued to raise the specter of litigation and escalated his baseless attacks on the legitimacy of the vote.Guest: Alexander Burns, a national political correspondent, speaks to us about the latest on an unfinished election. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: Mr. Biden may be closing in on victory, but the “blue wave” that some hoped would sweep the Democrats to shore never materialized.We have live updates on the progress of the count, and you can follow the election results here.

The U.S. presidential election is a lot closer than the polls indicated. Millions of votes, many in key battleground states, are yet to be counted.Florida — which went for President Trump — is the only bellwether to have confirmed its result. Other crucial states, including Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina, are yet to be called.For the moment, it looks like both Mr. Trump and Joe Biden will need to break through in the Midwest and Pennsylvania to clinch victory.The race to control the Senate is also tight, though the Republicans seem to be in a better position.With the picture still foggy, Mr. Biden called for patience as the votes were counted, while Mr. Trump falsely claimed victory and threatened court action.Guest: Alexander Burns, a national political correspondent for The New York Times, speaks to us about where things stand with the election and the remaining paths to victory. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: You can follow the election results here.We also have live updates on the progress of the vote.

This episode contains strong language.At the heart of one race for the Wisconsin State Assembly are some of the same political cracks splitting the U.S. as a whole. Some believe keeping businesses running is a priority during the coronavirus pandemic; others think keeping people safe and healthy should be given precedence.What do the different approaches reveal about Wisconsin politics and about broader American divisions? Reid J. Epstein, a politics reporter for The New York Times, and Andy Mills and Luke Vander Ploeg, audio producers for The Times, went to the state to find out.Guests: Reid J. Epstein, who covers campaigns and elections for The New York Times; Andy Mills, a senior audio producer for The Times; Luke Vander Ploeg, an audio producer for The Times. Bonus Election Day special: The Daily is going LIVE today. Listen to Michael Barbaro and Carolyn Ryan, a deputy managing editor at The Times, as they call our correspondents for the latest on a history-making day. Tune in from 4 - 8 p.m. Eastern, only on nytimes.com/thedaily and on The New York Times iPhone app. Click here for more information. Background reading: Here’s Reid’s story about how the virus has divided the conservative town of Minocqua, Wis.President Trump and Joe Biden barnstormed through battleground states, concluding an extraordinary campaign conducted amid a health crisis and deep economic anxiety.