Loading...

PODCAST

Americast

Insight and analysis on what"s happening inside Donald Trump"s White House. Americast is the authoritative US news and politics podcast from the BBC. Each week we provide audiences with the best analysis from across the BBC, with on-the-ground observations and big picture insights about the stories which are defining America right now. The podcast is hosted by trusted BBC journalists including the BBC’s North America editor, Sarah Smith, BBC Radio 4 presenter, Justin Webb, the BBC’s social

news politics

All Episodes

37:23

Americanswers…Will Christa Pike still face the death...

Americast ·

2026/10/05

How has the botched execution of a woman convicted of murder in Tennessee 30 years ago prompted a debate about the death penalty in the US? Marianna, Sumi and Anthony answer your questions on the case of Christa Pike, which has led to the resignation of Tennessee's prisons chief.Also, why has a rape allegation at Cornell University become one of America's biggest stories, with New York Attorney General Letitia James now investigating and Governor Kathy Hochul promising to close a legal loophole

en

32:03

Can the Democratic Socialists of America win over...

Americast ·

2026/10/02

Abolish ICE? Abolish borders, No prisons? The co-chair of the DSA speaks to us about what the party really stands for and whether they can persuade undecided Americans to vote for them. The Democratic Socialists of America can count some of the country’s most high-profile politicians in its ranks, such as Bernie Sanders, Zohran Mamdani and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Until recently, the organisation had only a few thousand members and sat on the fringes of US politics.But since the rise of Donald

en

29:56

Do Republicans need to ditch Trump before the midterms?

Americast ·

2026/09/30

Is Donald Trump now more of an electoral hindrance than a help, even in his home state of Florida, where one candidate has talked down his links with the US president. In this episode, we hear Anthony’s reporting from Florida where the race to replace Ron DeSantis as governor won’t be an easy win for Republicans. Byron Donalds is looking to become Florida's first African American governor. He has Trump's endorsement and is a loyal MAGA supporter of the president, but in recent weeks, he’s played

en

28:59

Americanswers! Why don't the Democrats have a new...

Americast ·

2026/09/28

Ahead of November’s midterm elections, are we any closer to knowing who might lead the Democrats into the 2028 presidential election?Americanswers is back answering your questions and this week we’re looking ahead at a number of important issues at this year’s midterms. The Democrats might fancy their chances to take back the House – and possibly even the Senate – but public opinion still looks unfavourably at the party’s leadership, so why doesn’t it have a new leader yet, and will this hurt them

en

34:22

Has Trump’s ban against the media backfired?

Americast ·

2026/09/25

The US president has lost his court battle with CNN, Politico and MS NOW in the latest battle between Donald Trump and the media. What did the judge say and what happens next? At the end of the last week Donald Trump banned three news outlets - CNN, Politico and MS Now - from reporting inside the White House. But the ban has been overturned - for now - in an emergency hearing by a federal judge, who ordered the banned journalists’ press credentials be immediately reinstated for 14 days. It’s

en

21:23

Did Trump's UN speech convince voters on Iran?

Americast ·

2026/09/23

Americast is in New York as Donald Trump tells world leaders he could “annihilate” Iran, whilst also - behind the scenes - talking up the progress of peace talks between Iran and the United States. Sumi and Anthony unpack the US president’s appearance at the United Nations General Assembly, discussing whether the speech was aimed more at his domestic audience than world leaders. With just over six weeks from midterm elections and record low approval ratings, is Donald Trump now more isolated

en

34:45

Americanswers… Why has Denmark made a deal with Trump...

Americast ·

2026/09/21

What do we know about Denmark’s new deal with the US president over Greenland, and has Donald Trump actually got what he wants out of it? Sarah, Anthony and Marianna answer your questions in today’s episode. The team also look at whether Donald Trump is legally allowed to kick out media organisations he doesn’t like from the White House? The US president has withdrawn White House press credentials for journalists from CNN, MS Now and Politico, citing fake news. But does this decision go against

en

38:03

US v China... The AI race

Americast ·

2026/09/18

We speak to a US/China tech expert who served under presidents Biden and Trump about America’s race with China to develop Artificial Intelligence. Does he agree with president Trump’s statement “whoever wins AI wins”, and what does “winning” look like? Justin, Marianna and Anthony discuss Donald Trump’s rejection of any regulation for Artificial Intelligence, and whether this is in line with public opinion in the United States.The team also talk about Congress, and how Republicans are reacting to

en

29:12

The Supreme Court stops Donald Trump changing voting...

Americast ·

2026/09/16

The US president has lashed out at the US Supreme Court for blocking his plans to end the right for all Americans to vote by mail in elections. But will Donald Trump find a different way to get around the ruling before this November’s midterm elections?Back in March, the president signed an executive order that ended the right for all US citizens to vote by email. He’s long argued that the move would help combat electoral fraud, despite cases of fraud being rare. The court’s decision is not,

en

31:49

Americanswers… on 5 Live! Can Trump convince voters a...

Americast ·

2026/09/14

The president is pushing back against calls from tech bosses to slow down the development of artificial intelligence. After claiming “whoever wins AI, wins” can Trump convince voters that greater regulation isn’t needed?And will Republican senator Mitch McConnell reappear as the senate reconvenes this week? The 84 year old has been absent after months of illness and, as conspiracy theories surrounding his wellbeing grow, he is facing mounting pressure to say whether he will return to his duties or

en

34:30

Will Trump’s $5,000 offer convince US voters?

Americast ·

2026/09/11

President Trump made the pledge at the Republicans' first ever midterm convention, promising every adult American a $5,000 payment if his party wins both chambers of Congress in November.Sarah, who was in the arena in Dallas watching Trump’s speech, and Justin look at whether this is a serious policy or a desperate measure. The payment would cost over a trillion dollars, no detail has been given on how it would work, and federal law restricts payments made in connection with how people vote. JD

en

38:33

Is 9/11 still shaping America?

Americast ·

2026/09/09

The journalist Peter Bergen also talks to us about meeting Osama Bin Laden before 9/11, and what happened during that interview. In this episode, Justin, Sumi and Marianna discuss America twenty five years on from 9/11 and to what extent it still shapes the United States, despite millions of Americans today having no lived experience of the attacks. We also look at the politics, as families who lost loved ones in the attacks have petitioned New York mayor Zohran Mamdani not to attend the 25th

en

22:40

Americanswers… on 5 Live! Why is Lindsay Clancy’s...

Americast ·

2026/09/07

And will Trump’s attempts to limit mail-in voting at the US Supreme Court succeed? The US president has made an urgent appeal, trying to change the rules over who can and can’t vote by mail before this November’s midterm elections, despite ballot papers being posted out in several states. In this episode, Sarah, Sumi and Marianna are answering your questions with Matt Chorley from 5 Live. We look at why Lindsay Clancy’s mistrial has become over-run with conspiracy theories, and what is likely to

en

35:55

An insider's account of Trump's White House

Americast ·

2026/09/04

The reporter Jonathan Swan gained unprecedented access to the inner workings of Donald Trump’s White House in the first year of his second administration. Who were the main characters fighting for the president’s attention? How were decisions made in the Oval Office? And how was the decision taken to go to war with Iran?On today’s episode, Sumi sits down with Jonathan to talk about the reporting he did alongside Maggie Haberman for their book ‘Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald

en

30:27

Has Pete Hegseth lost control of the Pentagon?

Americast ·

2026/09/02

Why is the US military losing its senior leaders? In the latest in a series of high-profile departures inside the Pentagon, America’s top civilian official Dan Driscoll has resigned as Army Secretary having been appointed 18 months ago by Donald Trump to help end the Ukraine war and modernise US forces. In this episode, Anthony and Sumi discuss the significance of the resignation and the real reasons behind it. Driscoll’s departure comes after Pete Hegseth has fired or forced out senior officers

en

28:13

Americanswers! Could Zohran Mamdani serve in a...

Americast ·

2026/08/31

Americanswers is back for a bank holiday special and this week we're answering the questions you've always wanted to ask on American politics! For example, Zohran Mamdani can't run for president of the United States as he was born in Uganda, but could he take up a cabinet position in a future Democrat administration? Is there a precedent for such a move, and would he even want it?Another Americaster wants to know if we see any similarities between Donald Trump and former president Lyndon B. Johnson

en

31:26

Are polls misleading Americans?

Americast ·

2026/08/28

In several primary elections so far, polling has been wrong. So much so that a candidate in the Wisconsin Democratic primary dropped out because another candidate so high in the polls. The only problem - the ‘clear winner’ lost.Whether polls mislead American voters has been an active question since 2016, when predictions were that Donald Trump would lose the presidential race. But as voters look toward the midterms, we ask when they do and don’t help. Does the media oversell them? And do they play

en

35:34

Canada tests the limits of Trump’s power

Americast ·

2026/08/26

The trade war between the US and Canada has escalated after Canadian prime minister Mark Carney walked away from negotiations to cut a new trade deal with the US and declared up to 50% retaliatory tariffs on hundreds of American goods. Sumi and Anthony discuss how America’s once closest ally is fighting back, and if it could become a political problem for Trump as the midterms approach. And we mark the passing of musical legend Dolly Parton who has died at the age of 80. With a reputation defined by

en

30:46

Americanswers! Are the US and Canada in an all-out...

Americast ·

2026/08/24

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says "we cannot accept what they've offered, and we will not give what they've asked,” after trade negotiations with the US broke down over the weekend. Donald Trump has announced 50% tariffs on Canadian cars and steel — though not until January 1st, leaving four months of negotiating room and a set of midterm elections in between. Can the two countries work out a deal? And why is this round of tariffs different from the previous round that the Supreme Court

en

28:51

How will Trump’s former personal lawyer run the US...

Americast ·

2026/08/21

Attorney General Todd Blanche won’t pledge to act “independently” from the White House during an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press. Trump’s former personal attorney said no attorney general should ever “pledge” to act independently from the White House, but assured the public that the president would never ask to do “something illegal”.Blanche’s comments have sparked a debate over the extent to which the justice department should be free from White House control. This comes at a time when

en

653 results

Similar Podcasts

Expres Ráno

Expres FM

Kan Hourly News כאן רשת ב חדשות - מהדורת השעה

Mr. Mp3

City Cast Denver

City Cast

Sweden in Focus

The Local

Tulsa News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now!

The Daily News Now!