Join Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel in a weekly podcast that unpicks everything you need to know about the world of US politics - all of it delivered with Emily and Jon’s astute analysis, world-class insight and wry sense of humour.
Episodes are available every Tuesday/Wednesday.
The News Agents USA is a Global Player Original podcast and production.
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Trump squeaked his spending bill through the Senate last night with the casting vote of his VP. Three Senators voted against it. Many more had threatened to vote against it but were either won round or scared into it. Elon Musk says it will bankrupt America and wants to take the political fight to any vulnerable Senator who disagrees. Would he really start his own political party? And who would Republicans fear more if so - Trump or Musk? Later, would Trump have gone to jail if he hadn’t won the...
Zohran Mamdani is just 33 years old. His victory over (tarnished) Democrat royalty Andrew Cuomo for the New York mayoral primaries is exciting a lot of younger folk. Is his pitch a potential blueprint for how democrats start to win again? Or was he just running against a terrible candidate? Later, strategist Doug Heye about how traditional republicans feel now about Trump's foreign policy. The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/...
Michael Lewis, author of The Big Short and Who is Governmen t, joins Emily in the studio to talk about whether American's have fallen out of love with their government, and what happens when you dismantle it? The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Jon and Emily interview Steve Bannon about the controversial deployment of federal troops in Los Angeles against undocumented immigrants, a move Bannon fully supports as part of Trump's mass deportation plan. Bannon justifies aggressive ICE tactics and discusses the legal basis for federal intervention, along with the political implications and Trump's base support. He also shares his perspective on the clash with Elon Musk over the tax bill, calls for Musk to be investigated or deported, and offers insights into UK politics and Nigel Farage.
For months, Donald Trump has been heralding his "Big, Beautiful" spending bill - a key piece of his agenda, containing tax cuts for the rich and benefits cuts for the vulnerable. It will also add trillions to America's debt - to the point that some are now sounding the alarm, warning of a "debt bomb" about to hit the US economy. What the White House didn't bet on was that one of those leading critics would be Elon Musk - who's turned fire on his former boss in spectacular fashion, calling the le...
Not content with demanding government oversight of Harvard's teaching and appointments, Donald Trump has directed his government to cease all federal funding of America's most prestigious university. And in a wider blow to academia, US embassies around the world have been ordered to suspend scheduling appointments for student visas. Social media vetting will be stepped up for those hoping to step foot on an American campus. Why is Donald Trump so fixated on the higher education institutions that...
Gone are the days when a presidential cancer diagnosis would be greeted with kind words and warm wishes. It took less than 24 hours for the White House administration to try and turn the illness into the latest smoking gun on what Biden had or hadn’t told the public whilst he was president. But should the Democrats take some blame for what’s happening now? We talk to the former Biden policy adviser Jamie Ruben. Later, where is Trump now on Israel and Russia - and what’s going on with James Comey...
Donald Trump's trip to the Gulf should have been accompanied by glowing headlines and fawning Fox coverage about the hundreds of billions of dollars secured in fresh investment into America from allies in the region. But there's one deal in particular that has riled friends and foes of the President: a $400m jet being gifted to Trump by Qatar. He's said he would be "stupid" to turn down the offer - critics have raised ethical, intelligence, and corruption concerns. Is the perception of a grift t...
Canada's Prime Minister Carney has been in the White House explaining to President Trump why he can’t just claim Canada as a 51st state. Trump still likes to think he can. Meanwhile, Trump has accused America's closest trading partner of “ripping off“ his country, while Canada's PM has called Trump “transformational“ and left it at that. So has Carney's election victory actually changed anything? There was no sign of a breakthrough on tariffs between the two leaders either, but Donald Trump has ...
Has Donald Trump irrevocably reordered America's place in the world? He may have only just marked his first 100 days back in the White House, but in that time President Trump has confronted his allies, courted adversaries, and taken a sledgehammer to the world order as we knew it. Has he redrawn our geopolitics in a way that has moved America's traditional partners away from America - and what does it mean for the future? We talk to Trump’s former National Security Advisor, John Bolton. Don’t fo...
It's not the first time America's Defense Secretary has leaked Pentagon battle plans. Last month he shared details of a strike attack against the Houthis with an Atlantic journalist by mistake. This time another Signal group has been discovered with sensitive contents - this time including his wife, brother and...his lawyer. So why hasn't he been fired? And is Pete Hegseth proving too chaotic even for Trump? We speak to Trump's former Director of Communications, Michael Dubke, about what is real...
The Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump's administration must "facilitate" the return of an El Salvadorian national deported to his home country in an "administrative error". Kilmar Abrego Garcia fled to the US as a teenager to escape gang violence and was protected from deportation by an immigration judge in 2019. He has no criminal conviction. But the Trump administration seems to be ignoring that instruction. Instead, they have labelled him a "terrorist" and gang member - without eviden...
160 years ago today, Ulysses Grant led the Union army to victory in America's civil war. The 2025 American civil war is shaping up to be less bloody - but still brutal. How long are Trump's followers going to turn a blind eye to the economic mayhem he’s inflicting on them? And can the Democrats find six Republicans to vote with them to stop the chaos? We talk to the Congressman leading the charge, Sean Casten. Meanwhile, as measles break out across Texas, where does the famously anti-vax Health ...
The Trump administration admits it made an error when it seized a Maryland man picking up his child from school and accidentally deported him to El Salvador - believing he was a criminal gang member. Trump's press secretary has now described it as a "clerical error" but they can’t get him home. What’s going on in America? Even Joe Rogan is appalled. Is anyone counting how many other citizens are being kidnapped and incarcerated without any due process? Later, how are Trumps tariffs going down wi...
JD Vance has decided overnight to join his wife Usha on her trip to Greenland. No one knows who invited him. Or whether he was invited. Or if its a formal state visit. Or just a trip to the US airbase. But the Danish Prime minister has called the trip an unacceptable pressure. Vance insists it's about protecting Greenland's security. But it feels kinda threatening. We speak to an old friend of JD Vance, Sofia Nelson, who knew him well at Yale Law School - and even went to his wedding - about the...
The chief justice of the US Supreme Court has issued a stinging rebuke to Donald Trump's demand to impeach a judge who ruled against his administration's controversial deportation of migrants. Judge James Boasberg ordered a stop to the transfer of accused gang members to El Salvador. That ruling that was ignored, and Trump branded him a "troublemaker and agitator" who should be removed. In a rare statement, Justice Roberts insisted that impeachment was "not an appropriate response" to the disagr...
The origins of a peace deal have emerged in Saudi Arabia. There’s just one problem: whilst Zelensky is offering to sign up, there’s no word from Putin. How does a 30 day ceasefire work if the aggressor isn’t on board? And why is Trump convinced he will be? Later, presidency or shopping channel? Why is Trump flogging Teslas on the White House lawn? Editor: Tom Hughes Executive Producer: Louis Degenhardt Producer: Natalie Indge Digital Editor: Michaela Walters Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell ...
Trump promised his state of the Union speech would be BiG. He meant Long. It was 99 minutes. We watched so you didn’t have to. Today, we bring you the high lights and low points. And we speak to the man who would now be Secretary of State - if Kamala Harris had won the 2024 election. How does that feel up close? Tickets to The News Agents Live On Stage with HSBC UK are now on sale! You can get your tickets for Edinburgh here: https://articles.globalplayer.com/7giHoMavXLgdrd6gaC3GxWG7T8 Editor: T...
Trump has reimagined Gaza in an AI video as a gold embossed beach resort. He’s fired the head of the army for being 'woke'. He’s banned the Associated Press from his press room. And his mate Elon Musk is calling on all federal employees to report each other if they don’t get with the MAGA plan. Kurt Anderson wrote about Americas addiction to fantasy a decade ago - before Trump. He's with us and describes how he was sold cocaine from the man who’s now secretary of health. It’s all been just five ...
In a remarkable and rapid rapprochement, Donald Trump's Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in Riyadh meeting a Russian delegation to kick off talks about a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine. Who's not at the talks? Ukraine - or any other European leader. Is Russia calling the shots? And why is President Trump so happy to push ahead engaging with Moscow even when it is leaving America's allies dumbfounded? Douglas Heye is a veteran Republican strategist who reads the politics of DC more cl...
Elon Musk has been holding court in the Oval Office. With Donald Trump by his side and his own toddler on his shoulders, he spoke to a press pack - justifying the gutting of federal agencies, DOGE plans to revolutionise government, and the mistakes he admits they’ve made along the way. Meanwhile, Trump has called for a reigning in of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act so that American businesses can offer backhanders if they need to. Is he Making Bribery Great again? Tickets to The News Agents Li...
In a week that’s seen a trade war come and go, an entire US government department frozen, and thousands of justice officials fired from their jobs at the FBI and DOJ, we start by asking if anyone is still prepared to stop Donald Trump amassing inordinate amounts of personal power? Why has any resistance left the Senate Republicans? Have the Democrats recovered their voice? We speak to Chris Cillizza about how to separate the lunacy and the noise from the down right dangerous. Tickets to The News...
The last living child of JFK, Caroline Kennedy, has dramatically come forward to warn of the dangers her cousin poses to America if he’s confirmed as health secretary. Will any Republican be prepared to go against Trump‘s wishes and try to prevent Robert F. Kennedy Jr's appointment? And why is the media now reshaping itself around Trump when so many outlets chose to confront him in his first presidency? Later, we are in Latin America talking to historian Peter Frankopan about Colombia, Panama an...
The Bishop of Washington is one of the few voices this week to have pushed back against Donald Trump's policies as he swept into office. She did so publicly, in strong terms, and in a church. The Trump family were not impressed - and spewed vitriol at her online. Will she pay a price for standing up? We speak to Mark Landler, London bureau chief at the New York Times, about what is different this time around. Plus, Jon has caught up with Helle Thorning-Schmidt, co-chair of Meta's oversight board...
Pete Hegseth is a Fox News anchor now hoping to lead the US military. He’s Donald Trump pick to be Secretary of Defence. Leaving aside the allegations of sexual assault and work place drunkenness - which he denies - and the profound lack of experience, does he have what it takes? And will he get through his senate confirmation? Later, a life long friend of Joe Biden tells us why the President still thinks he could have beat Trump in 2024. How will Joe Biden be remembered? The legacy starts now. ...
Why does it already feel as if Trump is President? Last night, he gave an hour long press conference at Mar-a-Lago and we suddenly remembered what it's going to be like. On the bingo card: Greenland, Canada, Panama Canal, and the January 6th protesters. Little mention of either the cost of living or immigration but hey, early days. On today's episode we hear from two sides of the Republican party - the MAGA wing and the WTF wing - and we try once again to figure out what Donald Trump actually me...
In today's episode we have a Newsagents - Ruthie's Table 4 mash up. We’ve been chatting to Bill Clinton's strategist and Democratic supremo James Carville at the River cafe with Ruthie Rogers. What should Democrats have done differently? What was Joe Biden's mistake? And what’s the way back? But first, we kick off with the settlement ABC News just made to Donald Trump of 15 million dollars after he complained about an interview. Is the media ready to hold power to account this time around? Or is...
Donald Trump has done his first sit down TV interview with NBC News and it was largely a calm affair. Oddly he offered unity across the aisle. But he has made it clear that he wants to stop those born to illegal immigrants from claiming us citizenship. Would he change the constitution to do this? Later, did the left of the Democratic Party let ideology get in the way of a winning strategy? We speak to the author of Morning After the Revolution, Nellie Bowles. Editor: Tom Hughes Executive Produce...
Tickets to The News Agents Live On Stage with HSBC UK are now on sale! You can get your tickets for Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh here: https://articles.globalplayer.com/7giHoMavXLgdrd6gaC3GxWG7T8 Joe Biden decided late on Sunday to pardon his only surviving son, Hunter Biden who was convicted on gun charges earlier this year. It might have been the spectre of the incoming FBI Chief Kash Patel that spurred his choice. Or a sense that he ultimately had nothing to lose politically (and ever...
Three weeks on from Donald Trump's historic comeback, the clamour for answers about where it all went wrong within the Democrat party is reaching a fever pitch. Kamala Harris has released a message to supporters urging them not to let anyone 'take their power' - but with her party consigned to another four years out of the White House, how can they rebuild and reconnect with the voters who deserted them at the ballot box? Jon and Emily speak to former Congressman and ally of Nancy Pelosi, Steve ...
