Tue Oct 17 2017

As a candidate for president, Donald J. Trump called Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl a “dirty rotten traitor” for walking off his base in Afghanistan in 2009, and said,”I don’t want him. Maybe we can send him back.” On Monday, with President Trump now commander in chief, Sergeant Bergdahl pleaded guilty to desertion and to endangering the American troops sent to search for him. An Army judge will determine his punishment.  Guests: Matthew Rosenberg, who covers intelligence and national security for The Times; Richard A. Oppel Jr., the Times reporter covering the trial. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily.