Americast

There is a new deal on the table for universities in America. After months of fighting with the Trump administration over funding cuts, free speech and allegations of elitism and racism, the new deal is being offered to a select group of universities who are now weighing up how to respond. Anthony and Justin unpack the proposal from the White House, which promises “substantial and meaningful feder...

There was an extraordinary moment at the White House on Wednesday when, in front of reporters, secretary of state Marco Rubio handed Donald Trump a note that read the words “very close”, followed by a whisper where he told the president that Israel and Hamas were on the brink of reaching a Gaza ceasefire agreement. Although there are many details of the plan still being worked on, this could poten...

Donald Trump’s mission to target Democrat-led cities has expanded to Illinois after the Texan National Guard arrived on Tuesday at an army base near Chicago. Troops were sent with the blessing of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, prompting a furious response from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who called for an end to the president’s “authoritarian march”. Sarah, Anthony and Marianna unpack what’s reall...

In today’s episode, we look at some of the stories “under the radar”, away from the main news headlines in the United States. Why is the Trump administration blowing up boats which it says are carrying drugs from Venezuela to the United States? Donald Trump has described the latest strike which killed four people, as “an act of kindness” saving the lives of thousands of Americans. Sarah, Justin an...

The US federal government has shut down for the first time since 2018, and with it the suspension of all non-essential services and the threat of mass firings among federal workers. The shutdown comes after Congress failed to reach an agreement on future spending plans, leading to an angry blame game in the media over who is really responsible. For Democrats, the shutdown presents an opportunity t...

In another extraordinary week in U.S politics, the US government has shut down for the first time in almost seven years after members of Congress failed to agree a last-ditch funding deal. Donald Trump has said federal workers could start losing their jobs in the coming days, but what are the other consequences of the shutdown for American citizens? And how long will the shutdown last? Meanwhile,...

It started with a Truth Social post from the president, calling for a handful of his critics to be prosecuted, one of those targeted was the former FBI director James Comey. Less than a week later, he has been indicted and charged with perjury over testimony he gave to Congress five years ago about the FBI's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Prosecutors allege he lied about...

Monday’s White House announcement made headlines worldwide when Donald Trump - flanked by his health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior - said taking Tylenol, also known as paracetamol, during pregnancy was linked to a "very increased risk" of autism in children. Medical experts have strongly pushed back on the claims, saying there is not strong enough scientific evidence to show a link, with some...

Donald Trump’s appearance at the United Nations was a clear - and at times stark - outline of his global vision, often involving sharp attacks against his opponents. His speech - the longest by any US president in history - took aim at countries who have recently recognised a Palestinian state, including a number of European countries. It was Europe itself where the president reserved some of his...

Justin and Anthony unpack the memorial service held yesterday in Glendale, Arizona for the conservative activist, Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead earlier this month. Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, was given a standing ovation for forgiving the man who shot her husband, delivering an emotional and deeply religious speech where she called for people to “choose Christ” and take up her husband’s mi...

Donald Trump has finished his state visit to the UK and it ended with a joint press conference with the British PM Keir Starmer. What did the two leaders say about Gaza and Ukraine, why was Epstein not really mentioned, and what does it tell us about the relationship between the two countries? Sarah - who was in the room with Trump and Starmer at Chequers - also reveals what Susie Wiles, the US pr...

As King Charles welcomes Donald Trump to Windsor, England for the US president’s second state visit to the UK, what should we be expecting from the trip? Sarah joins Justin and Marianna from Windsor to unpack how divisions over Gaza, Ukraine and tariffs might be dealt with, and what would constitute a successful trip for both countries. The team also discuss potential flash points for both the UK...

What do we know, and not know, about Tyler Robinson - the 22 year old man who has become the main suspect in the shooting of the conservative activist and influencer Charlie Kirk? After a 33 hour manhunt, investigators say Robinson’s father recognised him from images released to the public, and persuaded his son to hand himself in. Sarah, Marianna and Justin unpack the various theories around Robi...

Charlie Kirk, the right-wing influencer and trusted ally of Donald Trump has been shot dead while speaking with students at a university in Utah. Kirk was one of the most prominent conservative activists and media personalities in the United States, and a trusted ally of Donald Trump. Many credit his influence - particularly with young people - as a key reason behind Trump’s victory in last year’s...

On Tuesday Decarlos Brown Jr was arrested and charged with first-degree murder over the unprovoked attack on Iryna Zarutska on a train in Charlotte, North Carolina, last month. A video of Zarutska's killing has been circulated - and shared widely - on social media, including by key MAGA figures like Stephen Miller and Elon Musk. It has prompted a widespread debate over crime in American cities, a...

"I love the smell of deportations in the morning..." It was those words, posted alongside a mock-up of Donald Trump dressed as Lieutenant Kilgore from ‘Apocalypse Now’, that has worried Chicago Democrats, who the president has threatened with the deployment of the National Guard. Sarah, Anthony, and Marianna join Matt Chorley on 5 Live to discuss what Trump is planning for Chicago, and how the Dem...

For the first time in over six years, victims of the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein came together in DC this week, claiming the US government has not published everything it knows. The survivors said they’re now compiling their own list of Epstein’s associates, calling on Trump and Congress to make public the information it has. Also this week, the House of Representatives Oversight Committee publis...

For some time Donald Trump has been taking shots at the Federal Reserve. It's America's central bank and the institution that decides on interest rates and regulates the nation's financial system. In the main it operates independently of the White House and it's therefore no stranger to conflict when it comes to presidents and their economic agenda. Up until now, no president has ever actively tri...

Over the weekend rumours were swirling on social media that the president was dead. Marianna and Sumi join Matt Chorley on 5 Live to look at how the unfounded claims were sparked. And the US Centre for Disease Control Chief, Dr Susan Monarez was fired last week. The White House said it was because she was “not aligned with the president's agenda". The decision prompted other leading figures at the...

Sharing AI-generated images of himself riding a horse, waving a giant flag, inserting his face on Mount Rushmore...sound familiar? If you're California Governor Gavin Newsom, that's entirely the point as he embarks on a new strategy to combat Donald Trump online, by imitating him. It’s all part of a “dark woke” strategy which sees Newsom playing Trump at his own game on social media. Is the approa...

The Jeffrey Epstein scandal continues to cause problems for the Trump administration, and in today’s listener Q&A, the team delve into whether newly released interviews between Ghislaine Maxwell and Trump’s Deputy Attorney could provide a reprieve for Donald Trump. Or will it just help her chances of receiving a pardon or commutation from the president? Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man who was mist...

One of the biggest stories of last year’s presidential election was Donald Trump’s success with Latino voters which led him to win crucial swing states in the battle for the White House. While the Democrats still won the popular vote nationwide, there was no question that Trump’s messaging on the economy appealed to voters worried about the cost of living. Eight months on from that victory, are La...

Fresh off the back of Monday’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S could offer Ukraine some form of security guarantee in the event of a peace deal with Russia. While the details of any security guarantee are yet to be confirmed, it has prompted fear and uncertainty within parts of the president’s MAGA base, who view the prospect of a security guarantee as a pr...

Straight off the back of the Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump hosted Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House as he pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine. The last time they met in the Oval Office, it ended in an argument in front of the world's media. It was a friendlier encounter this time, with Zelensky handing a letter to Donald Trump from his wife to the First Lady, Melania Trum...

The first face to face meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin since the war in Ukraine started is over, with Donald Trump saying “we didn’t get there” on a Ukraine deal, or a ceasefire. The meeting lasted three hours, with the US president insisting progress was made, and Putin saying he is “sincerely interested” in ending the war, but without giving details. The two leaders both addresse...