For Democrats, President Trump’s victories have revealed the antidemocratic flaws at the core of our government. But could it be an opening for a constitutional revolution as the party searches for its next leader? This week, Ross explores what that revolution would entail with Osita Nwanevu, the author of the book, “The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding.”

3:41 – What’s wrong with our democracy? 9:06 – Our undemocratic founding 17:04 – The case for more U.S. states and a new constitution 24:14 – Where economic reform fits into this problem 29:59 – Does Trump represent the will of the people? 38:02 – What Trump’s presidency says about democracy 40:54 – The elusive Bernie Sanders moment 47:13 The mystical element of our politics Thoughts?

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Read the full transcript here: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/14/op… This episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Sophia Alvarez Boyd, Andrea Betanzos and Victoria Chamberlin. Research by Raina Raskin. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing and engineering by Pat McCusker, Sophia Lanman, Efim Shapiro, Morgan Hamilton and Paul Perret. Cinematography by Marina King, Alex Levin and Nathan Shinholt. Video editing by Steph Khoury. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair, Michelle Harris and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Video directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.