From Zach Montague (proof): I’m a federal courts reporter, based in Washington.
My reporting focuses on the legal disputes over the Trump administration’s agenda and the hundreds of federal lawsuits filed since January 2025 challenging various policies and actions.
I’ve covered the D.C. police retaining control after a court hearing and how ICE has taken a key role in Trump’s crime crackdown. I’ve also written about the number of times the Trump administration has been blocked by lawsuits, including with Medicaid funds for Planned Parenthood, Trump’s birthright citizenship order and free speech on campus.
From Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs (proof): I’m an investigative reporter for the Times’s national desk, and I’m on the ground in D.C.
I’ve spent much of the last two weeks tracking down what the federal agents here are doing, whether it’s recovering guns during traffic stops or trying to evict homeless people. I’ve also looked into what the numbers show about children committing crimes in the District, and written about the man charged with assaulting a Border Patrol agent with a sandwich.
All of these links are available for free, even without an NYT subscription.
Ask us anything about what we’re seeing on the ground, the lawsuits that have ensued, and the national implications.
We’ll answer questions from 3 to 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22.
Thank you for your questions and your interest in the atmosphere in the capital. You can follow more of our reporting at nytimes.com
We’re NYT reporters covering the effects of the Trump administration’s takeover of DC. Ask us anything.
byu/thenewyorktimes inpolitics
36 comments
What are your thoughts your employer’s role in sanewashing this administration? Both before the election and now?
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To which degree are federal agents taking over law enforcement duties normally performed by DC Police in areas other than federal property? How does their behavior differ from that of local law enforcement? How legal is this?
Can you guys go ask the Democrats in the Senate what, if anything, they have planned to do any meaningful opposition to all of this beyond their platitudes about voting?
With what you’ve seen so far, how does the new development of the National Guard being instructed to carry service weapons look likely to change things?
How do the military members feel about having to selectively ignoring their oath? Specifically the part about defending against all enemies, foreign and domestic?
There was a mile long march last week in DC with thousands in attendance. Can you tell us why this didn’t get a single mention on the front page of NYTimes.com?
It sure looks like Trump and Hegseth have a military coup in position. There is an army in the Capitol that is under the direct control of Donald Trump.
What is that like? Does this feel like a moment in history?
Have admin officials given any reason why they haven’t been patrolling DC’s higher crime neighborhoods, such as in Southeast?
Have any feds been spotted east of the river?
What do you think needs to change in the media landscape to reduce infotainment, midirection, and lies enough so that facts can get through and are recognizable as such and distinguishable from the former?
Can you tell us why the current front page of the NY Times has not a single word about any of the DC resistance movement or participants?
Is there any hope? It seem like they’re doing a bunch of illegal stuff but nobody can do anything because he’s the president.
Are you allowed to freely report what is seen on the ground or does your reporting go through an information filter or editorial process that assures it aligns with the guardians of pedophiles’ (the GOP) dominant narrative/propaganda goals?
Are you able to describe the overall morale amongst the National Guard? This is sort of a “vibes” question, but I can’t imagine many folks signed up for the NG to stand around national monuments.
For Zach:
Can you explain why you are using the language of the far-right (Trump’s “crime crackdown”) to help normalize the actions of the regime?
For Nicholas:
In the last two weeks, can you tell us about the time you have spent with the resistance in DC?
Are y’all currently discussing which passive voice phrase to use when he inevitably declares martial law?
Are you concerned that your editors have been too heavy handed in appearing “balanced” at the expense of reality regarding the level of risk to some Americans by Trump’s policies?
Perhaps a broader question, but one that I’m sure will be specifically relevant sooner or later: why is that when a cop shoots someone, reporters run immediately for the passive voice? It’s never “An officer shot a protestor”. It’s always “A protestor was struck by a bullet while being detained.” It’s like the bullet just materialized out of the ether. Whoopsie! How’d that happen??
I heard the worst parts of the city are in the South East, do they plan to move to those areas?
It seems like a lot of the patrols are in the high traffic areas. Downtown, National Mall, etc, what was the crime there before and after the new surge?
Trump makes the comment about “No Murders”. Is that true? What was the impact of this surge in federal enforcement on that? Can they take credit for something that wouldn’t have happened anyway?
Is it now safe to go to restaurants now per what Trump said, did that not change? I bet there were a lot of arrests for DUIs and public intox but not murders.
It is my understanding that after 30 days, Trump needs congressional approval for the continued use of the National Guard domestically. Is this something the administration is seeking? If not… then what?
What is the demographic make up of the arrests? What types of arrests?
What tools are the federal employees using that help in arrests and surveillance? Are they using drones? Communications equipment, do they get automatically tapped into police radio and database access?
Why does the NYT and other media orgs consistently sane wash Trump and his admin? You in the media have a significant blame to bear in regards to why Trump is in power once again and destroying this country
How do you feel knowing your editors at the NYT are complicit in this Trumpofascist takeover? And how is that bad for Biden?
Why don’t you report this regime’s systematic undermining of democratic institutions and guard rails the way you would if it was happening in another country?
Have either of you got a read on how much federal agents and national guard troops are anticipating the shooting of unarmed American civilians? Do these groups consider all civilians criminals, simply divided into two categories; incarcerated or not incarcerated yet? Do these groups believe their chief executive’s annoyance outweighs the dissent of the citizenry? Do these groups believe that creating a walled city situation for Trump is part of their oath of upholding the Constitution?
Are you concerned that the sanewashing by almost all of your colleagues has contributed to the ongoing crisis?
Is there any point at which journalists will go back to being objective and truthful instead of constantly trying to report “both sides” of creeping fascism?
The things that bother me the most is how there are actually people who think that the Democrats are the ones responsible for why this is even happening. To specify, they blame the Democrats for why Trump won the 2024 election to begin with, therefore they are saying that the Democrats are the ones responsible for why this is happening. What are your thoughts on that?
How much are the D.C. police involved with this takeover?
Do you think language choices—like calling a proposal to undermine elections merely ‘controversial’—risk softening readers’ understanding of its stakes?
Does it bother you that the New York Times weights the opinions and “reports” of the Israeli Defense Forces as more objective than that of international human rights organizations, including many divisions of the United Nations?
Why is your publication terrible about framing issues by softening language as authoritarianism rises?
How do you think this period of journalism in the US will be viewed in 50 years? How will your own work be viewed in 50 years?
why do you insist on sane washing this administration?
Do you believe the statements today about sending troops to cities and arming the guard in DC is just a thinly veiled attempt at pushing for a confrontation between people who would protest such things and a eventual call for martial law? Because it sure feels that way.
Can you comment on criticism of The New York Times and chairman A.G. Sulzberger regarding anonymity granted to known right-wing and fascist individuals in order to spread stories slanted against Zohran Mamdani? Should we expect the same type of slant from the New York Times in Washington D.C.?
Trump lies constantly. He quotes statistics that are made up, he lies about everything.
Why does the New York Times not use that word, lie, when talking about things he has said that are that are easily proven to be lies (or dementia).
Why is he not held to account for his misinformation?
Why is there no discussion of integrity? And the lack of integrity in this administration and president?
Why is the word corruption not used for clear clearly corrupt act?
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