Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files

Trump says the Iran ceasefire is over - so how worried should we be about a return to full-scale war? Christiane and Jamie break down the latest tit-for-tat strikes and explain why the Iran War is even more humiliating for the US than Vietnam or Afghanistan. Plus, Christiane and Jamie discuss Trump’s interference in the World Cup… and how the US still lost to Belgium! They also assess the far-righ...

America has just marked 250 years of independence, but how much does the world's superpower really have to celebrate? Christiane explains how Trump is remaking the Land of the Free in his own image, and she and Jamie ask whether the President is doing irreversible damage to the US at home and abroad. They examine how the First Amendment right to free speech is under attack, and why America's close...

Nearly four months after the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted, how are the many Asian countries dependent on its oil managing? Christiane and Jamie also discuss the US's potential decline as a world power, and its success as host of the FIFA World Cup - despite the odds. Also, given the UN inquiry that declares Israel as the perpetrators of genocide, at what point does the US reconsider its "special...

Putin has publicly admitted that Ukraine's strikes are causing real damage inside Russia. With fuel being rationed in Siberia and supplies in Crimea running out, Christiane and Jamie discuss how worried Putin is, and whether this is the beginning of real pressure on Moscow. They also discuss Venezuela's devastating earthquake which has exposed a country incapable of dealing with crisis. With the U...

Christiane and Jamie contrast the political accountability between presidential and parliamentary systems - why does Donald Trump remain while Keir Starmer falls? Plus, could Syria, Lebanon, and Israel ever cooperate to eradicate Hezbollah? Or has that moment already passed? And, what of Israel's undeclared nuclear arsenal? Christiane and Jamie also discuss the far-right threat sweeping Europe, fr...

The US and Iran have held their first round of peace talks, but has there really been any progress? Is Tehran actually likely to allow nuclear inspectors back in? And has Trump's approach left America in a weaker negotiating position than when this all started? Christiane and Jamie cut through the diplomatic noise and explain what's really happening behind the scenes as both sides try to reach a d...

Elon Musk has become the world's first trillionaire - but should we celebrate or worry? Christiane and Jamie debate how his leap from electric cars and SpaceX into owning the public square, gutting USAID, and bankrolling Europe's far right represents a concentration of power no single individual should hold. They also examine whether Trump's final-term decisions are driven by ideology or personal...

The war in the Middle East has stopped, but can either the US or Iran genuinely claim victory? Christiane and Jamie unpick what the Memorandum of Understanding actually includes, what it conspicuously leaves out, and why the deal could still collapse if the two sides can't agree on the nuclear question long-term. Christiane reveals what her contacts inside Iran are telling her about the potential...

Is the gutting of 60 Minutes leading us down a dangerous path? Christiane doesn't hold back on what CBS's parent company is doing to one of the most successful news programmes in television history. Plus, a Lebanese listener asks the question at the heart of the Middle East crisis: is it cheaper to pay off Iran and its proxies than to keep fighting? Christiane and Jamie unpack why the war in Leban...

Christiane was in Beirut until last Sunday. By the time she arrived back in London, the Lebanese capital was once again under Israeli bombardment and the Middle East ceasefire appeared on the verge of collapse. In this episode, Christiane reveals what Lebanese President Joseph Aoun exclusively told her about Israel's ongoing war with Hezbollah and Iran's continued grip on his country. She and Jami...

On this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked whether Donald Trump’s self-styled reputation as a master dealmaker stands up to scrutiny, as US-Iran talks drag on with bold claims but little progress. They also discuss the French navy’s interceptions of Russian oil tankers accused of skirting sanctions, and whether others should follow suit. They explore the effect that gerrymandering, and...

After a Russian drone struck a building inside NATO member Romania, Christiane and Jamie ask the question on every western leader's mind: does Putin actually want a direct confrontation with the alliance? They examine whether the incident was a reckless accident or a calculated provocation, potentially a deliberate test of NATO and Europe's willingness to respond. What does it tell us about Russia...

This week, Christiane and Jamie discuss Pope Leo’s warning that AI could end up starting more wars, and ask whether the technology now poses a genuine threat to the future of humanity. They also look at the politics around this summer's FIFA World Cup - which will see Iran play matches in the US - as the war in the Middle East shows no sign of ending. Christiane & Jamie also revisit Russia’s i...

The Iran ceasefire hangs by a thread after the latest round of US strikes on Iranian military sites and IRGC boats. Is this a sign that Trump is about to restart the war? Or is it that the President is becoming increasingly desperate to end the conflict he probably regrets starting three months ago? Christiane & Jamie unpick how Trump has backed himself into such a tight corner, and whether it...

With growing numbers of doctors and experts publicly questioning the president's mental fitness, Christiane and Jamie tackle the most uncomfortable question in American politics: is Donald Trump losing it? Then, Christiane and Jamie are asked about the Epstein files and why justice for the women and children who were abused is yet to be served. They also examine Israel's controversial new death pe...

After a bruising few months of war, and with his ratings at an all-time low, could Trump be about to target Cuba? Christiane & Jamie dissect the President's recent visit to China and explain why he was unable to make any progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, plus they reveal why he might be planning to indict the former Cuban President Raul Castro. They also look at Trump's ongoing strug...

Christiane and Jamie tackle the question of why so many MAGA supporters still trust President Trump despite rising costs, broken promises and foreign wars. They also address whether Americans truly understand how much damage has been done to the country's standing in Europe. Plus, Christiane and Jamie break down Iran's surprisingly effective Lego-style propaganda videos, explaining why humour has...

What's been happening in Ukraine while the world has been watching the Iran War? Something has shifted - and not in Putin's favour. This week, Christiane and Jamie examine why Putin suddenly pushed for a ceasefire ahead of Russia's Victory Day celebrations. Was it a diplomatic gesture, or a sign of fear? They explore growing reports that Putin has become paranoid about his own security, and make t...

Christiane and Jamie answer your questions on the global fallout from the conflict in the Middle East - is anyone paying attention to the millions in sub-Saharan Africa facing displacement as a direct consequence of the Iran War? And will China or major European nations ever apply enough pressure on Trump to end it once and for all? Plus, with millions of Americans having voted for Trump, will the...

Are the US & Iran really getting closer to a peace deal, as Trump claims? With the American blockade in the Strait of Hormuz now suspended, and talks between the two sides apparently imminent, Christiane and special guest Tina Brown unpick whether Trump finally has an exit plan, or whether this could be yet another false dawn in negotiations. Christiane & Tina also discuss the challenges a...

In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked how much chaos President Trump could yet cause for the US, what it would take for him to be removed from office and why a country that so often intervenes abroad struggles to keep its own leaders in check. On the war in the Middle East, they unpack the rigid stalemate between the US and Iran, suggesting what a resolution might realistically lo...

The suspect might now be in custody, but after the latest assassination attempt against President Trump, Christiane & Jamie look at why there seems to be so much anger in America right now, and discuss how people can channel their anger more effectively rather than turn to violence. They also share their own experiences of attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner, and Christiane explai...

In this week’s Q&A, Christiane & Jamie are asked whether Donald Trump’s confrontational “Art of the Deal” approach with Iran follows the same pattern seen in his tariff battles - and why world leaders continue to engage with these tactics. They also debate whether America's long-term energy blockades against Cuba should be judged by the same standards as attacks on Iran’s civilian power pl...

With so much uncertainty over negotiations and the future of the conflict between the US & Iran, Christiane reveals that people she's speaking to believe there could be a return to war at some point very soon. Meanwhile, Jamie explains why he thinks Trump missed a key opportunity to de-escalate when he continued the US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, even after Iran agreed to reopen th...

In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked whether Donald Trump was drawn into conflict with Iran by Benjamin Netanyahu, what impact decreasing global support for Israel could have on US–Israel relations, and whether President Trump could face war crimes charges. They also discuss Iran’s wartime economy, the future of US–EU ties and Democratic hopes of winning back the White House. Wat...