Americast Podcast
Insight and analysis on what's happening inside President Trump's White House. Episodes Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Americast is the authoritative US news and politics podcast from the BBC.
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 disinformation and social media 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, like CNN anchor, Christiane Amanpour, Emmy Award-winning TV host, Rachel Maddow, and Succession actress, J Smith-Cameron.
Podcasts are published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As well as being a podcast, we are also available every Friday on the World Service. Oh, and by the way, you can now 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 special guests, including Miles Taylor, who was chief of staff at the Department for Homeland Security during the Trump presidency before becoming a whistleblower. Got a question or a comment? Get in touch with us on email at Americast@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.
Episodes to download
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What did we learn about Epstein from the Clintons?
Wednesday
Plus, the other US news stories going under the radar since war with Iran
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Americanswers… on 5 Live! Are Trump’s Iran strikes breaking the law?
Monday
And Defence Sec Pete Hegseth says “no stupid rules of engagement” in Iran
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Trump's Iran Gamble... What is the US president up to?
Sunday
And will Trump's Republican MAGA base support his strikes on Iran?
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The battle for Texas: Can Democrats win it back from Trump?
Last Friday
Republican panic as voting starts in the Texas primaries
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Trump's big, long, State of the Union speech
Wed 25 Feb 2026
Can the president’s record breaking speech change voters’ minds ahead of the midterms?
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Americanswers... on 5Live! Why haven't more Americans faced charges over Epstein?
Mon 23 Feb 2026
Epstein victims and the American public are calling for justice.
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Trump's Tariffs... Trump attacks the Supreme Court over tariff ban
Fri 20 Feb 2026
A breaking episode of Americast as POTUS takes on SCOTUS
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Who is Tucker Carlson and what does he tell us about the future of MAGA?
Fri 20 Feb 2026
And what does MAGA look like post-Trump?
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Everything you need to know about Donald Trump’s Board of Peace
Wed 18 Feb 2026
What’s on the agenda of the inaugural meeting?
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Americanswers... on 5Live! Why did Pam Bondi, US Attorney General, lose her temper during Epstein Files questioning?
Tue 17 Feb 2026
And did Barack Obama accidentally confirm the existence of aliens?
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Will the US Supreme Court stand up to Trump?
Fri 13 Feb 2026
Or will the court expand the US president’s power?
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Has Jeff Bezos brought down the Washington Post?
Wed 11 Feb 2026
The Amazon boss has gutted a third of the workforce at the iconic newspaper
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Americanswers! Why is Trump so annoyed about Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl?
Mon 9 Feb 2026
And why is Donald Trump refusing to apologise for the racist video aimed at the Obamas?
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Is Donald Trump going to cancel the midterm elections?
Fri 6 Feb 2026
The president says he’ll honour the results "if the elections are honest”
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Why are Bill and Hillary Clinton testifying over Epstein?
Wed 4 Feb 2026
The Clintons will give evidence to Congress
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Americanswers… On 5 Live! Do the new Epstein files "absolve" Trump?
Mon 2 Feb 2026
And why is the president threatening to sue Grammy host Trevor Noah over an Epstein joke?
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Can Trump really save the midterms for the Republicans?
Fri 30 Jan 2026
The president kicks off the Republican election campaign in Iowa
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Will Trump “de-escalate” Minneapolis tensions after Alex Pretti killing?
Wed 28 Jan 2026
And the president blames Democrat Ihan Omar after she was attacked
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Americanswers… On 5 Live! Another US citizen shot dead by ICE. What happens next?
Mon 26 Jan 2026
Pressure mounts on Trump for an inquiry into the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis
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Are ICE immigration agents acting outside the law?
Fri 23 Jan 2026
Immigration raids in Minneapolis are dividing America
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Have Trump and Europe reached a deal on Greenland?
Thu 22 Jan 2026
The US president says he will drop tariffs threat after talks with NATO boss.
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Americanswers… On 5 Live! Can Donald Trump be talked down over Greenland?
Mon 19 Jan 2026
And why did RFK Jnr say Trump is ‘pumping himself full of poison’
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Introducing The Global Story... what's really behind Trump's foreign policy?
Sun 18 Jan 2026
What does US history tell us about America’s changing role in the world right now?
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The Jan 6th Capitol riots five years on… Why America is still divided
Fri 16 Jan 2026
Republicans are using a new committee to question the events of January 6th 2021.
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Can Denmark convince Trump not to “conquer” Greenland?
Fri 16 Jan 2026
White House talks on Greenland end in “fundamental disagreement”
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Americanswers... On 5 Live! What do Americans really think of Donald Trump?
Mon 12 Jan 2026
And does Trump have a plan for Iran?
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Can the US really rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry?
Fri 9 Jan 2026
Trump says the US oil industry will be 'up and running' in Venezuela within 18 months.
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The fatal Minneapolis ICE shooting
Thu 8 Jan 2026
A US immigration agent shot dead Renee Good in the city of Minneapolis.
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How far will Trump go to seize Greenland?
Wed 7 Jan 2026
The White House says acquiring Greenland is a “national security priority”
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Americanswers... On 5 Live! Could Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro be found not guilty in a US court?
Mon 5 Jan 2026
Is Trump right when he says the US is running Venezuela now?

