Americano

Freddy Gray speaks with University of Chicago international security scholar Professor Robert Pape about his book, Our Own Worst Enemies: America in the Face of Violent Populism, exploring how demographic transformations, widening wealth inequality, and the normalisation of political violence across the political spectrum are intersecting to pose a profound internal threat to American democracy an...

Freddy Gray speaks with Spectator columnist Christopher Caldwell about the ten-year legacy of Donald Trump since his 2016 election victory, assessing his second administration's high-water marks alongside the recent political and personal controversies that Caldwell argues have eroded voter trust, unraveled his populist appeal, and raised sharp questions about the future of the conservative mo...

In this episode of Americano, Freddy Gray hosts a debate between Daniel McCarthy of the Heritage Foundation and Robby Soave of Reason magazine to examine whether libertarianism has effectively died as a vital political force or remains quietly triumphant through tech deregulation, AI innovation, and unprecedented levels of individual freedom. Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podc...

In this episode of Americano, Freddie Gray speaks with Dr. Edward Howell, an Oxford University lecturer in international relations, about the high-stakes summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, examining Beijing’s strategic desire for global parity, its covert role in enabling an anti-Western alignment alongside Russia, Iran, and North Korea, and the escalating geopolitical tensions surroundin...

In this episode of Americano, Freddy Gray speaks with former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci about his new book 'All the Wrong Moves', breaking down the systemic failures driving American populism, the economic fallout of foreign conflicts and rising national debt, and his sharp critique of Donald Trump's political strategy and economic policies. Become a Spectator subscribe...

In this episode of Americano, Freddy Gray speaks with Steve Bannon - former White House chief strategist for Donald Trump - about the ideological convergence between national populists and progressive Leftists as they confront the existential risks of unbridled AI, the suppression of internal whistleblower warnings by Silicon Valley elites, and the urgent necessity of cutting off Chinese access to...

Freddy Gray is joined by Michael P. Gibson, co-founder of the 1517 Fund, to discuss the weekend's warnings about AI catastrophe from Anthropic's Dario Amodei, Elon Musk and others, and the Trump administration's insistence on a light touch. Freddy and Michael discuss why Michael thinks the warnings should be read alongside Anthropic and OpenAI's plans to go public in the next six to nine months; h...

Freddy Gray is joined by Rep. Randy Fine, the Republican congressman for Florida's 6th district, to speak about his viral post, calling for a four-state solution for the United Kingdom. The post which parodies a popular pro-Palestinian chant, 'From the river to the sea', targeted the British government's fresh sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. Freddy and Rep. Fine discuss his clai...

What is behind Albania’s so-called ‘Flamingo Revolution’, and why has Jared Kushner found himself at the centre of it? Freddy Gray is joined by Ian Thomson to discuss Kushner’s controversial plans to build luxury resorts on Albania’s coastline, the protests they have sparked, and the country’s long-running battles over land and property. They also explore Albania’s turbulent history, the legacy of...

Is Pete Hegseth positioning himself for a 2028 presidential run….or is he on the verge of being fired?  The Spectator’s Sarah Beth Spraggins joins Americano to discuss the Secretary of War’s future, his loyalty to Trump, and the growing questions over his handling of the Iran war. They also explore Hegseth’s evangelical faith and Washington church, as well as his controversial personal and ro...

Gus Carter is joined by Owen Matthews, the Spectator's Russia writer, to discuss John Ratcliffe's unannounced trip to Moscow, where the CIA director met Russia's foreign intelligence chief but not Putin. Owen runs through the possible reasons: Iran, a suspected Russian provocation against NATO, and the stalled peace process. They also discuss the sabotage campaign across Europe and the sanctions b...

Freddy Gray is joined by James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners, on why the midterms are looking increasingly grim for the Republicans. Trump's approval is trending down, the war is dragging on it, and James expects differential turnout to hand the Democrats the House, possibly with more than 230 seats. Freddy and James discuss why a Senate map that should have been safe for Republicans is now a...

Freddy Gray is joined by Andrew Cockburn, Washington editor of Harper's Magazine, to discuss the state of the US Navy as the USS George Washington arrives in the Arabian Sea to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose crew have sent home photographs of blocked lavatories, rotting rations and sailors who have lost a stone or more. Freddy and Andrew examine why the Iranian strike on the Navy's supply...

Freddy Gray is joined by Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of The National Interest and a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, for a tour around the houses of Trumpworld. Karoline Leavitt has resigned as White House press secretary, officially to spend more time with her young family, and Washington is busy deciding whether to believe it. Freddy and Jacob discuss who might replace her and what the exit sa...

Freddy Gray speaks to physicist and Spectator contributor Steve Hsu about the uncomfortable realities of modern warfare. Why are cheap missiles and drones so difficult and expensive to intercept? Freddy asks Steve about just how depleted are America’s missile stocks, and can the West rebuild its defence industry quickly enough? They also discuss China’s dominance of critical supply chains, the vul...

Freddy Gray is joined by Amanda Hunt, a partner at Keller Postman LLC, who are leading the Tylenol autism litigation. Trump brought the case to the worlds attention when he raised the alarm over usage – especially for pregnant women. Freddy and Amanda discuss the latest developments with the case and why this isn't solely a Conservative or Trump issue. Learn how to earn yield on gold, paid in gold...

The left-wing insurgent Abdul El-Sayed is slightly ahead of the establishment-backed congresswoman, Haley Stevens, with more than 90% of the votes counted in the Michigan primaries. Freddy Gray speaks to Alex Castellanos who has written a piece for Spectator World explaining why the DSA's success could be a triumph for Trump, how they reflect a similar political outcome to Trump's populist split i...

Gus Carter is joined by Peachy Keenan to talk about the end of Hollywood as we know it. They discuss how the traditional Hollywood business model is faltering, overtaken by the rise of streaming giants. They also highlight how these platforms, initially seen as the new frontier for film, are now grappling with their own economic challenges. Gus and Peachy also talk about how these challenging time...

Gus Carter is joined by Geoffrey Cain to speak about the ongoing developments in Chinese AI, and how it stacks up to its American rivals. Gus and Geoffrey talk about the emergence of Kimi K3, and how Chinese models will become inherently more competitive to global audiences, not just those the United States. They also discuss the OpenAI model that went rogue, and how other US models refused to und...

As Gianni Infantino pursues a new future for Fifa, Matt McDonald is joined by Jack Holmes to discuss whether the FIFA President is turning into Donald Trump. Just weeks after the end of a highly controversial world cup, Infantino plans to shake up the foundations of global football (or soccer, if you would prefer). But will his bold strategy come to fruition, or might it suffer the same fate as th...

Freddy Gray is joined by Ben Judah, a former Labour Special Advisor to discuss the new government's outlook on foreign affairs. Freddy and Ben examine how Andy Burnham's appointment of Ed Miliband as Foreign Secretary will shape the way Britain builds on its special relationship with the United States and the Trump Whitehouse. They also discuss the implications of Miliband's past positions on net...

Freddy Gray is joined by David Weigel to discuss the Democratic primary battle taking place in Michigan between Abdul El-Sayed and Haley Stevens. Freddy and David examine how the contest has become a proxy for the wider battle over the Democratic Party's future, pitting the Obama-era moderates against the ascendant progressive left. They discuss how Israel has emerged as one of the campaign's defi...

Steve Hilton is the British immigrant backed by President Trump who is running to be the next governor of California. On the podcast Steve and Freddy discuss his campaign, one slogan being Cali-fordable – how to improve the cost of living; why the Democratic 'machine' all hail from California and the East vs West coast political divide. Learn how to earn yield on gold, paid in gold, at M...

On Sunday, the Senator Lindsay Graham died suddenly having just return from a trip to Ukraine. It is believed he suffered from a sudden heart problem. Spectator contributor Dan McCarthy reflects on Graham's political career which was heavily involved in foreign policy, his relationship with Trump and sense of humour, plus how Lindsay Graham represented the people of South Carolina, especially the...

Both Nigel Farage and Rupert Lowe have been in the America, telling the political elite all about Britain's demise. Freddy Gray is joined by The Times Washington editor Katy Balls to discuss how the right-wing insurgence in British politics translates to an American, the difference between how the online right, versus a typical Republican may see Farage vs Lowe, and how significant Trump has been...