Americast
Hosted by BBC News
About this Show
Insight and analysis on what's happening inside Donald Trump's White House. Podcast episodes Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Watch on iPlayer here: https://bbc.in/4j3DjKy.
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 media investigation correspondent, Marianna Spring, and BBC North America correspondent, Anthony Zurcher.
As well as political analysis, we also specialise in social media. Each week Marianna Spring brings listeners the latest updates from the BBC’s Undercover Voters, our award-winning investigation into the content that is recommended to US voters on social media.
The team is also joined by special guests each week.
Podcasts are published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As well as being a podcast, we are also available every Friday on BBC Radio 4 and every Saturday on the BBC World Service. Oh, and you can now watch us on YouTube and on iPlayer: https://bbc.in/4j3DjKy. Also, you can listen to Americast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say ‘”Ask BBC Sounds to play Americast”. It works on most smart speakers.
Every Monday we answer your questions on Americanswers, with some help from our friends, including BBC Radio 5 Live's Matt Chorley. Got a question or a comment? Get in touch with us on email at [email protected] or WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.
Latest Episodes
We speak to Hasan Piker... Is he a liability for the dems?
Are Hasan Piker’s controversial views a help or a hindrance for the Democrats this midterms?He’s arguably America’s most high-profile left-wing influencer but he’s not loved by all Democrats. He made his name streaming on Twitch and helped propel Abdul El-Sayed as the Democrat candidate in Michig...
Can Trump’s $400 million save Republicans at the midterms?
With early voting already underway across several states in America, Republicans have just two weeks to land their closing arguments. The US president says he will be spending over $400 million on Republican candidates by election day, but what is the strategy and will the money be enough to turn...
Americanswers! How far will Trump go in siding with Putin against Ukraine?
What happens to Donald Trump’s power if the Democrats take back Congress in the midterms? With just over two weeks to go, Sarah, Anthony and Marianna are back with Matt Chorley to answer your questions.What would a Democratic House and Senate mean for the president? Could they try to impeach him ...
Are Latino voters turning on Trump?
Latino voters could decide which party controls Congress after November’s midterm elections. Two years ago, 48% of them voted for Donald Trump, a record for a Republican presidential candidate. But with fuel prices still high, and his immigration crackdown affecting families who have lived in the...
Your US Midterm Election Guide (A Global News Podcast collab)
What happens if Donald Trump loses the midterms, and why does this election matter for Republicans and Democrats? In this episode, Anthony and Sumi de-jargon and explain some of the basics in this November’s election, unpicking key terms such as ‘gerrymandering’, super PACs, dark money, stump sp...
Americanswers! Will Trump really livestream a firing squad execution?
How has US defence secretary Pete Hegseth justified the decision to livestream the execution of former US soldier, Nidal Hassan by firing squad at the Fort Hood military base - where he killed 13 unarmed US soldiers - in 2009? Justin, Sarah, Anthony and Marianna are back with Matt Chorley to answ...
Are the Democrats heading for a midterms landslide?
How confident should Democrats be about surprise new polling which puts them ahead in deep Republican territory? In states such as Kansas which haven’t elected a Democratic senator since 1932, Democrat candidates are doing well - why is that, and how much can we trust the polls? The party’s hope ...
Did Trump really say Iran could “take out” Los Angeles?
The president has started a war of words with California Governor Gavin Newsom after saying that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego. Trump made the comments during his midterms campaign tour, telling the audience it would be “very small price to pay” in the war. Newsom has responded ...
Americanswers…Will Christa Pike still face the death penalty after surviving two lethal injection doses?
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 r...
Can the Democratic Socialists of America win over voters?
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 rank...
Do Republicans need to ditch Trump before the midterms?
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...
Americanswers! Why don't the Democrats have a new leader yet?
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 ...
Has Trump’s ban against the media backfired?
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 th...
Did Trump's UN speech convince voters on Iran?
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, discu...
Americanswers… Why has Denmark made a deal with Trump over Greenland?
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 organisa...