Kirsten Grind and Eric Lipton, investigative reporters at The New York Times, dive into Elon Musk's surprising leap into politics, revealing his motivations and ambitions amid Donald Trump's rise. They discuss Musk's transformation from tech mogul to political influencer, his extensive government contracts, and the potential benefits he stands to gain from a Trump administration. The conversation raises ethical concerns about billionaire influence in politics and how such power dynamics reshape governance and public interests.

The podcast delves into the growing fear of Russia placing a nuclear weapon in space and the implications for US military supremacy. It also explores the escalating space race dynamics between Russia and China, highlighting China's rapid advancements in space technology and the potential consequences for the US military.

In this discussion, Eric Lipton, an investigative reporter for The New York Times, delves into the recent failures of the Secret Service following assassination attempts on former President Trump. He highlights troubling systemic issues, including a significant exodus of agents and inadequate training resources. The conversation uncovers the intense pressures faced by agents and the agency's struggles with understaffing and preparations for heightened threats. Lipton's insights raise critical questions about the agency's future effectiveness and accountability.

Amid growing threats from rivals like China, the United States military is determined to invest in new forms of defense and abandon those that no longer meet its needs.On that list: a combat ship rife with flaws. But getting rid of the ship has proved unexpectedly difficult.Guest: Eric Lipton, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: After years of crippling problems and a changing mission, the Navy pushed to retire nine of its newest ships. Then the lobbying started.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.

The adoption of electric cars has been hailed as an important step in curbing the use of fossil fuels and fighting climate change. There is a snag, however: such vehicles require around six times as many metals as their gasoline-powered counterparts.A giant storehouse of the necessary resources sits at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. But retrieving them may, in turn, badly damage the environment.Guest: Eric Lipton, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: Mining in the Pacific Ocean was meant to benefit poorer countries, but an international agency gave a Canadian company access to seabed sites.Miles below the surface, harvesting metallic nodules may threaten animals found nowhere else on the planet.Here are some of the seabed authority emails and other documents The Times assembled as it worked on its investigation of seabed mining.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.