Joe sets his sights on Nato but is being criticised at home. The Americast team reconvene early from their holidays to react to Joe Biden’s brief visit to the UK. Justin is joined by Katty Kay and Anthony is pulled out of bed in Washington DC at 4:30am to join the new Americast Breakfast Club. BBC political editor Chris Mason is on hand too. And there’s one more question to answer: is the Commander in Chief actually a nice guy? He’s faced criticism for not publicly acknowledging his granddaughte...
Jul 11, 2023•28 min
Rainbow flags symbolising LGBT freedoms are being flown in many parts of the world this Pride month, but in some parts of America they are being lowered due to state bans. Why have these kinds of issues become so political? Bobby Berk, star of hit makeover show Queer Eye, joins the Americast team, along with a Republican activist, to tell us how LGBT people are feeling across the US political divide. HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America editor • Marianna Spring, d...
Jun 29, 2023•40 min
Hunter Biden will plead guilty to tax and gun offences to avoid prison. The Americast team looks at whether the sins of his son could knock Joe Biden’s re-election hopes. Talking of being in trouble with the law, has Donald Trump implicated himself in a recent interview with Fox News? And it’s a tale of two Anthonys, as our very own host travels with the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on a historic trip to China and then the UK, and reports back on how he was received by President Xi. HOS...
Jun 21, 2023•37 min
On the eve of his 77th birthday, Donald Trump has appeared in court to face charges of mishandling classified documents. He even found time to stop by a bakery – though not for a cake to celebrate. Sarah has made it through the media scrum in a humid Miami and the Americast team has assembled early this week to talk through another day of firsts in US political history. We also hear from Miles Taylor, former chief of staff of the United States Department of Homeland Security under President Trum...
Jun 14, 2023•36 min
The Republican race for the White House is getting crowded. With eight candidates all gathering in Iowa to campaign, eat roast pork and ride motorbikes, the Americast team looks at who came out on top and whether any of them could beat Donald Trump, who is facing fresh criminal charges over his handling of classified documents. Harvard professor Steven Pinker, who sees himself as a liberal, tells us why he thinks academic freedom is under threat on US college campuses. And first, Sarah wanders t...
Jun 08, 2023•42 min
Journalists and podcast hosts Jon Ronson and Gabriel Gatehouse join Marianna for a special episode of Americast delving deep down the rabbit hole of conspiracies. The trio talk about why America is a breeding ground for conspiracies, how to spot them, and what happens if they’re true. We also look at whether conspiracies and misinformation might affect the outcome of the 2024 presidential election and what role artificial intelligence could play in their spread. HOST: • Marianna Spring, disinfor...
Jun 01, 2023•39 min
It’s Elon Musk’s latest launch… not a rocket this time, but Ron DeSantis’ campaign for president, live on Twitter! But after some technical hiccups, is it a failed lift-off? The Americast team reviews how it went and tries to answer whether Florida's governor can win the White House. And after dining with Sarah and Anthony in DC, J Smith-Cameron, who plays Gerri in Succession, meets Marianna in London ahead of the show’s finale, and turns the tables by asking her what reporters can learn from ho...
May 25, 2023•36 min
Crime is a growing worry in many American cities and has divided Democrats. New Orleans had the unenviable title of the US murder capital in 2022 – what went wrong in a city better known for its smooth music than the sound of gunfire? The Mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, tells us what she's doing to address the poverty and lack of opportunity which have plagued her city, and why she thinks she's being unfairly targeted over her track record. And after Prince Harry and Meghan's "near catast...
May 18, 2023•41 min
Has Donald Trump’s sexual assault verdict damaged his reputation? The Americast team explains why a top Texas Republican thinks he’s toast, even though Trump is fighting the ruling. Sarah is on the US border with Mexico in El Paso, where a controversial Trump immigration policy known as Title 42 is about to expire and a state of emergency has been declared. A Texas Congressman and Democrat, Joaquin Castro, tells us why he blames President Biden as well as Trump. And Santos Watch is back after th...
May 10, 2023•41 min
Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis has escalated his feud with Disney, launching a lawsuit against one of the country’s biggest companies. The Americast team updates us with the latest details from the battle and how it might impact his presidential campaign. And Americast's own reporting royalty/fairy queen, Katty Kay, rejoins the team from outside Westminster Abbey, where the finishing touches are being made ahead of King Charles' coronation. She analyses America's obsession with the British mona...
May 04, 2023•35 min
Joe Biden is officially running again! The 80-year-old president has posted a video promising “freedom” for Americans and to “finish the job”. Jim Messina, who masterminded Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, tells the Americast team that Democrats should be praying every night for Donald Trump to be their opponent, why he thinks it makes sense for Kamala Harris to stay on as vice president, and how Biden’s team can make sure his age isn’t the elephant in the room. Sarah visits a college baseba...
Apr 25, 2023•43 min
Scrolling through the biggest stories in America right now. With Fox News forced to defend its editorial standards, Donald Trump attacking “pudding fingers” Ron DeSantis and a conservative beer boycott spilling over, the Americast team take a few of this week’s most talked about topics and explain the context behind the clickbait. What’s been happening? Why does it matter? And why are we seeing so much of it all on social media? We also talk about the spate of shootings of people for tragically ...
Apr 20, 2023•44 min
President Biden has been travelling up and down the island of Ireland, where he’s promised to “keep the peace” but has also cracked some jokes down the pub with his distant cousins. Sarah’s been following him and trying to find out why he’s actually there. And a ruling from a Texas judge seeking to ban an abortion pill across America is being batted between various courts. Joyce Vance, who was a US attorney under Barack Obama, explains what can happen when the legal system gets personal and why ...
Apr 13, 2023•43 min
The multi-billionaire defended his ownership of Twitter in a last-minute interview live from the company’s Silicon Valley HQ. This extra episode of Americast features his rollercoaster conversation with the BBC’s James Clayton in full. It came out of an email exchange over the BBC’s labelling on Twitter as "government-funded media" – Musk replied himself and agreed to an interview "tonight". Asked about the mass layoffs of Twitter staff, misinformation on the platform and his unusual work habits...
Apr 12, 2023•59 min
Donald Trump pleads not guilty to criminal charges. The former (and aspiring future) president has been accused of falsifying business records after an investigation into hush money paid to a porn star. Sarah is back, dialling in from the middle of the media circus in Manhattan, as the team talk through Trump’s historic day in court and answer Americaster questions about what comes next. HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America editor • Marianna Spring, disinformation...
Apr 05, 2023•36 min
Donald Trump might be dominating the news again, but Nashville is still grieving after six people were murdered in the latest school shooting. The Tennessee tragedy was one of 130 mass shootings this year alone in America. For this extra episode, we return to the question we planned to bring you earlier this week: where does gun control go from here? We explore what would and wouldn’t make a difference. And celebrity lawyer Ben Chew, who was Johnny Depp’s lead attorney last year in a defamation ...
Apr 02, 2023•36 min
Donald Trump becomes the first ex-president to be charged with a crime. It comes after an investigation into hush money payments to a porn star. What did he do? What could this mean for US politics? And how are Americans reacting to the breaking news? The Americast team fire up their phones for an emergency episode as Trump shakes up politics – again. HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Katty Kay, US special correspondent • Marianna Spring, disinformation and social media correspondent • A...
Mar 30, 2023•28 min
America waits to find out if a former president will find himself in handcuffs. A close ally of Donald Trump joins the Americast team to explain why it could be a case of all publicity is good publicity. We go through the potted history of the Stormy Daniels scandal, break down how it’s playing out on social media, and look at what it means for Trump’s campaign to win back the White House. And TikTok is on trial as its CEO testifies to Congress, where the app’s security is being scrutinised. Can...
Mar 23, 2023•44 min
Sarah is on holiday so the BBC's US Special Correspondent Katty Kay steps into her breach on Americast, equipped with stories of Dr Anthony Fauci saving a guest at the prestigious Gridiron dinner. The team speak to Marianne Williamson, who found fame as Oprah Winfrey's 'spiritual advisor', and who now wants to usurp Joe Biden to become the Democratic nominee for President, despite newly-emerged allegations of bullying her staffers. There are other challenges for Biden this week, though - Mariann...
Mar 17, 2023•48 min
Twitter insiders have told the BBC that the company is now much less able to protect users from trolling, state-co-ordinated disinformation and child sexual exploitation. Marianna takes the rest of the Americast team though her BBC Panorama investigation into how one of the world’s most influential social media platforms is being transformed by Elon Musk. And she describes how the Twitter CEO has responded to her online. Tech journalist and host of the ON podcast, Kara Swisher, also joins Americ...
Mar 09, 2023•42 min
America's conservative cable TV channel is being sued for airing false 2020 election fraud claims. And court documents suggest that Fox News anchors reported allegations that the vote was “stolen” from Donald Trump even though they knew they were false. The Washington Post’s media critic Erik Wemple joins the team to talk through what's been happening in the case and a bombshell deposition from Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch. When Coronavirus first spread around the world, everyone wanted to know...
Mar 03, 2023•40 min
A busy week for President Biden! On the first anniversary of the Russian invasion, he made a surprise trip to Kyiv to meet President Zelensky, pledging to support Ukraine for "as long as it takes". Biden then gave a speech in Poland to reaffirm America's commitment to Nato. Sarah was on the trip and shares her impressions, and the Americast team also talk to Assistant US Secretary of State Karen Donfried. In Kentucky, a Christian university campus went viral on TikTok after one of its church ser...
Feb 24, 2023•46 min
As a growing number of flying objects are shot down in US airspace, the Biden administration is still trying to explain just what’s going on...and even fielding the odd question about aliens. Why are Americans so obsessed with extra-terrestrials? Meanwhile, on ground level, many are asking why national media took so long to start covering a major train derailment in Ohio that released hazardous chemicals into the air of a nearby village. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis has been talking up his ...
Feb 17, 2023•39 min
What clues were there in President Joe Biden’s State of the Union speech that suggest he's considering a run for a second presidential term? The Americast team take a look at what was in it and how his performance has gone down. The US president is already back on the road, but not all Democrats are keen for him to run again. The activist Norman Solomon explains why some on the left of the party would rather Biden stepped aside. And ahead of Super Bowl Sunday we find out what it takes to put tog...
Feb 09, 2023•45 min
After shocking video footage was released of the 29-year-old African-American being beaten to death by five black police officers in Memphis, we ask what might stop police brutality in the US. Sarah and her BBC colleague Chelsea Bailey share insights from their reporting trips to Memphis. And we also ask retired African-American LAPD Sergeant Cheryl Dorsey what should be done differently. With Donald Trump revving up his presidential campaign in South Carolina, the Americast team discusses the t...
Feb 03, 2023•42 min
Lies, lies and more lies. We chat to Republican and newspaper publisher Grant Lally who's known George Santos for years. Why were the concerns he raised about the freshman congressman ignored? And what's behind America’s long-term weight issues? Public health policy advocate, Rhea Farberman, talks obesity. Americast is presented by North America editor Sarah Smith, Today host Justin Webb, the BBC's social media and disinformation correspondent Marianna Spring, and North America correspondent Ant...
Jan 26, 2023•39 min
As America approaches 50 years since the Supreme Court made abortion access a constitutional right, the Americast team investigates how the country has changed since that ruling was overturned last June. As many states make abortion illegal, other “sanctuary states” are encouraging women to cross state-lines for abortions. Dr Anne Udall, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood in Oregon, tells us how her state and organisation are doing that. From one anniversary to another as America celebrated...
Jan 20, 2023•37 min
A special counsel has been appointed to investigate President Joe Biden after aides found classified documents at his private office and home. The Americast team explains what we know so far, why this spells trouble for the president, and the comparisons between this story and the discovery of hundreds of classified documents at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. President Biden has also been trying to get his immigration policy in order as his administration's approach faces criticism from both ...
Jan 13, 2023•43 min
The House of Representatives tries (and so far fails) to elect a Speaker. The US House of Representatives has been in deadlock for days after the new Republican majority failed to elect their leading contender Kevin McCarthy as the new Speaker. Americast chats to one of the Republicans voting against him, Representative Ralph Norman, about why they think McCarthy isn’t the man for the job. And the team goes over the key findings from the conclusion of the Jan 6 committee’s inquiry with one of th...
Jan 05, 2023•44 min
The online discussion continues... Since Americast spoke to Dr Anthony Fauci, he has been the subject of Elon Musk tweets. And that’s not all Musk has been up to! The team speaks to a former member of Twitter’s now disbanded Trust and Safety Council about what Musk is doing to online safety. And, as basketball star Brittney Griner is exchanged for notorious arms dealer Viktor Bout, a former White House insider takes us through the growing phenomenon of "hostage diplomacy". Americast is presented...
Dec 14, 2022•45 min
