Americast

After claiming the 2012 shooting in Sandy Hook was a hoax, it’s a moment of reckoning for America’s conspiracy-theorist-in-chief Alex Jones as he is ordered to pay nearly $1bn in damages to the victim’s family members. Americast explores the huge cultural and social stories that define the increasingly polarised political debate. The team report on a changing country with on-the-ground insights fr...

The Americast team delve into how conspiracy theories evolve online and how misinformation is affecting US politics, with the help of our Undercover Voters and Barack Obama’s former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes. US Special Correspondent Katty Kay is back from her trip on Route 66 meeting voters ahead of the midterms. President Joe Biden and Florida’s Republican governor Ron DeSantis...

We’re racing towards the US midterms but don’t worry, the full Americast team is back together to get stuck into the key issues, characters and races, and which party might come out on top. With a little help from Cliff Young, pollster and President of US Public Affairs at Ipsos. And Marianna updates us on what our Undercover Voters are being targeted with. This episode is made by Phil Marzouk and...

There is growing political tension in America over immigration. States such as Florida, Texas and Arizona have sent thousands of migrants to cities like New York, Washington DC and the wealthy Massachusetts island of Martha's Vineyard. Sarah, Justin and Marianna look at how the row is playing out amongst voters and on social media. Americast also profiles Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis who has be...

How is the US reacting? From Truman to Biden, the Queen met thirteen of the fourteen US presidents who held office during her reign and left a lasting impression on the United States. Justin, Sarah and Marianna look at the reaction to her death and catch up with the BBC’s Chelsea Bailey in Washington DC, who has been speaking to some of the Queen’s biggest fans. And after a five-year legal fight,...

Legendary environmental activist talks America’s contaminated water supply. The entire population of Jackson, Mississippi lost access to safe running water after excessive rainfall and flooding. But it’s not the first time there’s been issues with the city’s water supply, or the first case of contaminated drinking water in the US. Justin and Sarah speak to environmental activist Erin Brockovich, w...

Donald Trump, some top secret documents and the FBI. Welcome to episode one of the new-look Americast! Classified documents stored at former President's Florida home were likely concealed as part of an effort to obstruct an FBI investigation, says the US Department of Justice officials. Justin, Sarah and the Zurch chat to former FBI special agent Asha Rangappa, about how attempts to retrieve the d...

We're back! With Justin Webb, Sarah Smith, Marianna Spring and (of course) the Zurch. Join us every Wednesday for all the latest news and gossip from America.

A message to Americasters from the Zurch.

Biden imposes sanctions on Russia over “beginning of invasion”… Former U.S. ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul joins Emily, Jon and Anthony to discuss whether President Biden could have done anything differently. And… former homeland security aide to Donald Trump, Miles Taylor explains why he isn’t surprised classified information was found at the former president's home in Mar-a-Lago. He also a...

Prince Andrew has settled the civil sex assault case brought against him in the US by Virginia Giuffre. He’s agreed to make a substantial donation to her charity in support of victims’ rights. Randy Zelin, a New York attorney, joins Emily, Jon and Anthony to discuss what we know and what we will probably never know about the deal. Americast was made by Alison Gee and Phil Marzouk. The technical di...

The American media’s been full of stories about Boris Johnson – so why is the US fascinated with the British prime minister? Mark Landler from the New York Times says there are plenty of similarities with Donald Trump, but also some significant differences. Mike Pence has made it very clear he disagrees with his former boss: “President Trump is wrong,” he said. “I had no right to overturn the elec...

As Canadian truckers protest over vaccine regulations, Emily, Jon and Anthony take a look at what it means for the US and whether demonstrations could spread there too. Also, CNN journalists Marshall Cohen and Zachary Cohen talk us through their investigation into the “fake electors” scheme that tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election result. The January 6 committee has now subpoenaed 14...

As the Ukraine crisis escalates, we hear why Kyiv is so important to Moscow. Retired Lt Col Alexander Vindman, who testified before Congress about the Trump-Ukraine scandal, explains why he thinks Biden has a much better understanding of Putin than Trump ever had. Also, the hot mic moment that caught Biden off guard, Anthony tries to take over the podcast with a filibuster, and we answer an A-leve...

Joe Biden defends his first year of presidency in a rare press conference, but his comment about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine is what gets Emily and Jon scratching their heads. They speak to Elaine Kamarck, a former staffer to Vice-President Al Gore and President Bill Clinton, now with the Brookings Institution. She thinks Biden said more than he should have. Meanwhile, Anthony is travel...

A New York judge has ruled the civil sex assault case against the Duke of York can go ahead. Emily, Jon and Anthony explain why Prince Andrew’s lawyers argued it should be dismissed and why the court disagreed. The team also listen back to key moments from Emily’s interview with the prince in 2019. And Randy Zelin – a professor and attorney in New York - explains why there’s no good option left fo...

A year after the Capitol riot, the people who were there tell us it’s still dividing America today. US Democratic Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett calls it “an attempted coup” and says the country is “in an ideological civil war”. Fiona Hill – a former advisor to Donald Trump – says the way many Republicans have responded reminds her of Soviet disinformation campaigns. And Gabriel Montalvo, from the...

The committee investigating the assault on the Capitol have seen text messages urging White House staff to get the president to stop the riot. Donald Trump Jr and Fox News hosts were among those who messaged Mark Meadows, Trump’s then chief of staff. Emily, Jon and Anthony pick over who said what, and when. Governor Gavin Newsom says he plans to copy Texas’s tactics on abortion laws to stop the sa...

“Don’t do it.” The parents of the suspect in a school shooting in Michigan have been charged with involuntary manslaughter. Former NRA lobbyist Richard Feldman tells us why he thinks the Democrats should ditch the anti-gun rhetoric if they genuinely want gun reform. As Republican Congressman Devin Nunes resigns to become CEO of Trump’s new social media firm, journalist Dan Alexander explains why h...

The case that could radically change abortion laws in the US

Emily, Jon and Anthony discuss who Brandon is and why Americans are chanting his name. Also, three white men have been found guilty of murdering a black jogger, Ahmaud Arbery, in Georgia. We hear testimony from the trial and reaction from his family. And after another high-profile trial, politicians have been offering internships to Kyle Rittenhouse - the young man acquitted of murdering two white...

A judge’s “God Bless the USA” ringtone raised eyebrows when it went off in the Rittenhouse murder trial. And as the jury deliberates its verdict, Washington Post reporter Kim Bellware describes how this court case is the most acrimonious she has ever covered. Also, as a defiant Steve Bannon surrenders himself to the FBI, former Republican Congressman Doug Collins tells us why he thinks the Departm...

Big Bird’s been tweeting about his Covid jab but Senator Cruz isn’t impressed, calling the post “government propaganda for your 5-year-old”. Also, it’s officially infrastructure week… again. Congressman Andy Levin tells us why he changed his mind and voted for the bill on Friday. And journalist Dan Alexander joins us for a SPAC-tacular explanation of how Donald Trump plans to finance his new socia...

As Virginia elects a new governor, Emily, Jon and Anthony get back together to ask why things went so wrong for the Democrats and so right for the Republicans. They’re joined by J. Miles Coleman of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, and former Republican congresswoman for Virginia, Barbara Comstock. There are anecdotes from President Biden’s European trip and candy from Air Force One...

Maitlis and Sopes return for an emergency episode to mark the end of America's decades long 'forever war'. We talk to US Airforce veteran Veronica Hoyer to ask if it was all for nothing? And the former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, P. Michael McKinley tells us he is being contacted by former friends and colleagues appealing for rescue as Taliban forces enter Kabul. Studio Director: Emma Crowe Prod...