Lulu Garcia Navarro

From The New York Times, this is The Interview. I'm Lulu Garcia Navarro. It's been a blizzard of political news over the past few weeks as President Donald Trump and his billionaire backer, Elon Musk, try to remake America's government. From dismantling federal agencies to the mass firing of federal workers, the duo's frenzied efforts are testing both the courts and the opposition.

From The New York Times, this is The Interview. I'm Lulu Garcia Navarro. It's been a blizzard of political news over the past few weeks as President Donald Trump and his billionaire backer, Elon Musk, try to remake America's government. From dismantling federal agencies to the mass firing of federal workers, the duo's frenzied efforts are testing both the courts and the opposition.

Democrats, having lost the Senate and the presidency, are struggling to come up with a unified strategy, not only to stop Trump's agenda, but also to win back the voters they need who moved towards him in the election. It's a real moment of soul-searching for the party.

Democrats, having lost the Senate and the presidency, are struggling to come up with a unified strategy, not only to stop Trump's agenda, but also to win back the voters they need who moved towards him in the election. It's a real moment of soul-searching for the party.

So over the next month, I'll be having a series of conversations with influential Democratic politicians to understand their internal debates about the way forward. My first is with Arizona's junior Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego. Gallego's win over Republican Kerry Lake was one of the few bright spots for Democrats in November.

So over the next month, I'll be having a series of conversations with influential Democratic politicians to understand their internal debates about the way forward. My first is with Arizona's junior Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego. Gallego's win over Republican Kerry Lake was one of the few bright spots for Democrats in November.

A former member of the House, Gallego won in a tight race by overperforming Kamala Harris among key demographics that Democrats have struggled with, especially men and Latinos. Gallego is the son of an immigrant single mother and grew up poor.

A former member of the House, Gallego won in a tight race by overperforming Kamala Harris among key demographics that Democrats have struggled with, especially men and Latinos. Gallego is the son of an immigrant single mother and grew up poor.

He eventually went to Harvard and then became a Marine fighting in Iraq and ultimately ended up in politics where he says his story of struggle and success helped him connect to voters. He has a lot of advice for and criticism of Democrats right now, as I discovered when I sat down with him earlier this week in Washington, D.C., Here's my conversation with Senator Ruben Gallego.

He eventually went to Harvard and then became a Marine fighting in Iraq and ultimately ended up in politics where he says his story of struggle and success helped him connect to voters. He has a lot of advice for and criticism of Democrats right now, as I discovered when I sat down with him earlier this week in Washington, D.C., Here's my conversation with Senator Ruben Gallego.

And it occurs to me, you're a first-term senator, but you were in the House for about 10 years before that. And you were in Congress during the first Trump administration.

And it occurs to me, you're a first-term senator, but you were in the House for about 10 years before that. And you were in Congress during the first Trump administration.

Yeah. So I guess I'm wondering, does this time feel different?

Yeah. So I guess I'm wondering, does this time feel different?

Do you see a shift in how seriously the party is taking this moment?

Do you see a shift in how seriously the party is taking this moment?

And I guess the big question for Democrats is what it means to be an effective opposition party. And I think there are two issues here, right? One is what Democrats should actually do effectively. to counter Trump's actions. And the other is how you should communicate what you're doing. On the first, there is talk of using government spending, which has to be negotiated by March 14th as leverage.

And I guess the big question for Democrats is what it means to be an effective opposition party. And I think there are two issues here, right? One is what Democrats should actually do effectively. to counter Trump's actions. And the other is how you should communicate what you're doing. On the first, there is talk of using government spending, which has to be negotiated by March 14th as leverage.

Obviously, the risk is that if there is a shutdown, the Democrats will be blamed for that at a moment when, indeed, the party is trying to beach voters, rebuild itself, communicate that it is a party worth voting for. Is the risk too high?

Obviously, the risk is that if there is a shutdown, the Democrats will be blamed for that at a moment when, indeed, the party is trying to beach voters, rebuild itself, communicate that it is a party worth voting for. Is the risk too high?