On today’s episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss the global response to the war between Israel and Hamas. What domestic and international strings are attached to U.S. support in the region? And what will that support signal to rival hostile powers?

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Party of One: The Rise of Xi Jinping and China’s Superpower Future,” by Chun Han Wong
• President Joseph Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris Administration’s National Security Strategy — October 2022
• “There Is Not Yet an ‘Axis of Evil,’ but a New Reality for America in the Holy Land,” by Ross Douthat in The New York Times

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Now that Kevin McCarthy is no longer speaker, who’s in charge of the Republicans, and is this overthrow what voters actually want?

Today on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss the future of a deeply divided G.O.P. and debate what it means to be a Republican now. Plus, an argument for revisiting an elementary-school classic.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “What Explains Educational Polarization Among White Voters?” by William Marble
• “Neither Party Well-Liked, but G.O.P. Holds Advantage on Issues” Gallup polling

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In 2020, Joe Biden handily beat Donald Trump in a race that was never particularly close. But now that the twice-impeached and four-times-indicted former president may once again be the Republican nominee, polls suggest they might be even, at best. Why isn’t Biden doing better? Has his presidency really gone so poorly?

This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss the uphill battle Biden is facing heading into 2024 and debate what kind of leader Americans really want.

(A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Reagan Should Not Seek Second Term, Majority Believes,” by Barry Sussman in The Washington Post

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Americans are sick of business as usual. This year alone, more than 275 strikes have broken out across the country, and last week, nearly 13,000 members of the United Auto Workers joined the picket line to demand a better deal with their employers.

So what’s going on with work in America?

This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts break down how a changing economy and technological innovations are complicating the worker-employer relationship. Lydia offers some insight from her experience as the big boss on the other side of the bargaining table. Ross asks how little work The Times should pay him to do. And ultimately, the hosts debate the question: In today’s world, what role should work play in our lives?

(A full transcript of the episode will be available midday on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Is College Worth It?,” an episode of “The Daily”
• “Biden E.V. Agenda Threatens U.S. Auto Industry,” by Senator J.D. Vance in the Toledo Blade
• “Why Americans Care About Work So Much,” by Derek Thompson in The Atlantic

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Hundreds of thousands of migrants, many seeking asylum, have arrived in the United States over the last year, overwhelming already-strained resources in cities and states across the country. Last week, in arguably one of the most immigration-friendly cities in the country, Mayor Eric Adams said that migrants would “destroy New York City.”

This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss how the “border crisis” has come to frustrate Democratic politicians further north, and why the conversation about immigration is always actually about who we are as Americans.

(A  transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.)

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Michael Bloomberg: How Biden and Congress Should Fix the Immigration Crisis in Our Cities,” by Michael R. Bloomberg in The New York Times
• “Americans Still Value Immigration, but Have Concerns,” by Lydia Saad in Gallup

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Classrooms have been a key battleground in the so-called woke wars for years now. But could the debate over how schools teach history, race, gender and sexuality be coming to an end?

This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts look at signs that these wedge issues are no longer dividing us, ask whether we have reached “peak woke” and disagree on whether it’s even worth fighting about wokeness at all.

Mentioned in this episode:

• “Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American Consensus,” by Rick Perlstein
• Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series, by Nathan Hale
• The Adventures of Tintin comic series, by Hergé
• The Adventures of Asterix comic series, by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo
• The American Bicentennial Series, by John Jakes
• “The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels,” by Jon Meacham

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It’s been 18 months since Russia invaded Ukraine. No true negotiations have happened. As the stalemate continues, what role should the United States play in the fight?

This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss how the war is playing out at home and whether there’s actually more American enthusiasm for invading Mexico.

Plus, a trip back in time to a magical land of sorcerers and “Yo! MTV Raps.”

Mentioned in this episode:

• “An Unwinnable War,” by Samuel Charap in Foreign Affairs
• “The Runaway General,” by Michael Hastings in Rolling Stone
• “First Person: An Astonishingly Frank Self-Portrait by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin,” by Vladimir Putin

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The first Republican primary debate of the 2024 election is over. Chris Christie wiggled his fingers. Nikki Haley took Vivek Ramaswamy to the woodshed. Tim Scott was a “nonentity.” And then there was that elephant decidedly not in the room, Donald Trump, who instead spent his evening raving about water pressure to Tucker Carlson.

As the former president is expected to turn himself in at the Fulton County Jail, the Matter of Opinion hosts discuss what we learned from the first G.O.P. debate — and what it means when everyone in the party is still desperate to both be Trump, and be rid of him.

(A full transcript of the episode will be available midday on the Times website.)

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It happened. A jury in Georgia indicted Donald Trump and 18 of his closest co-defendants. Which can only mean one thing: Michelle is thrilled. So even though Matter of Opinion is taking a break this week, Michelle grabbed Opinion colleague David French, a former litigator, to break down her “favorite” indictment and analyze what’s got Rudy Giuliani into “a world of hurt.”

(A full transcript of this audio essay will be available midday on the Times website.)

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Donald Trump was impeached twice. He has been indicted three times. He lost the 2020 election. And yet he’s the clear Republican front-runner for 2024.

Today on “Matter of Opinion,” Michelle Cottle, Ross Douthat and Carlos Lozada explore how Trump has created a winning political strategy and what his potential nomination could mean for Joe Biden, the Republican Party and the future of the country.

Mentioned in this episode:

• “The Normal Paths to Beating Trump Are Closing,” by Ross Douthat for The New York Times
• “The Right Way to Resist Trump,” by Luigi Zingales in The New York Times
• “Rules for Resistance: Advice From Around the Globe for the Age of Trump,” by David Cole and Melanie Wachtell Stinnett
• “Trump and Allies Forge Plans to Increase Presidential Power in 2025,” by Jonathan Swan, Charlie Savage and Maggie Haberman for The New York Times
• “So Help Me God,” by Mike Pence
• “The Imperial Presidency,” by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.

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.