NYT columnist Ross Douthat on Trump and the new post-post-Cold War era

As President Trump wages tariff wars around the world and upends the U.S. alliance with Ukraine, conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat and Margaret Hoover discuss the president’s actions, his address to Congress, and the future of the GOP.

While Douthat defends the Trump administration's goal of achieving an armistice in Ukraine and convincing Europe to take on greater responsibility, he says that calling Zelensky a dictator “is not a good plan.” He also suggests a lasting peace will depend on whether Putin negotiates in good faith and whether the U.S. and Europe can provide a credible security guarantee.

Douthat explains why tariffs appeal to Trump, but he says the way the administration has approached threatening and imposing them on allies like Mexico and Canada does not amount to a “coherent, long-term policy plan.”

Douthat also talks about his new book on The New York Times bestseller list, “Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious." He reflects on signs of growing openness to religion in society, the mystical side of UFO culture, and the stumbling blocks that deter some people from embracing faith. The devout Catholic also comments on the state of the Catholic Church as Pope Francis’ health declines.

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