Amanpour

At midnight tonight, USAID puts almost all of its staff on administrative leave. Elon Musk says the agency, which is crucial to the survival of millions of people around the world, is being fed "into the woodchipper." This action would transform the US and its traditional role on the global stage. Matthew Bartlett was appointed to the State Department by President Trump during his first term, and he joins the show from DC. 

Also on today's show: Oscar-nominated actor Mikey Madison ("Anora"); Jonathan Chait, Staff Writer, The Atlantic 

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Israel is all in on President Trump's proposal to clear out and take over Gaza. But many Palestinians in Gaza are saying very clearly that they're not going anywhere. Tom Fletcher is the United Nations' top humanitarian official and joins from inside Gaza. 

Jennifer Mittelstadt, Professor of History, Rutgers University; Gillian Metzger, Professor of Constitutional Law, Columbia Law School 

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It was the proposal heard, and roundly rejected, around the world: Hours after President Trump, with Benjamin Netanyahu by his side, said the United States should not only take control of Gaza, but with the Israeli Prime Minister at his side and called for the permanent removal of the Palestinian population. Mustafa Barghouti, President of the Palestinian National Initiative Party, joins Christiane from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. 

Also on today's show: Prince Turki Al Faisal, Former Saudi ambassador to US and UK / Former Saudi Head of Intelligence; Daniel Levy, President, US/Middle East Project; criminal defense attorney Heather Shaner, who represented Jan 6 rioters 

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The future of the Israel-Hamas war hangs in the balance, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets President Donald Trump at the White House today. The US president is eager to see the war over, while Netanyahu, for various reasons, might be intent on continuing the fight. Amos Harel is a military analyst for Ha'aretz and he joins the program from Tel Aviv.  

Also on today's show: Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim, Medecins Sans Frontieres; Director RaMell Ross ("Nickel Boys"); Karoun Demirjian, reporter, The New York Times 

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President Trump is putting America's economy front and center, threatening sweeping tariffs on goods from America's three biggest trade partners. Trump has since reached a temporary agreement with Mexico to pause tariffs for one month in exchange for ten thousand Mexican troops being sent to the border. Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Trump today and is expected to keep negotiating. Canada's former Foreign Minister John Baird joins the show from Toronto. 

Also on today's show: Adam Boehler, US Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs; Tom Malinowski, Former US House Democrat; Peter Beinart, Author, "Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza" 

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Less than two weeks into Donald Trump's second term, the president is flooding the zone with executive orders, testing the very institutions that uphold democracy. The question now is how far can Trump bend these democratic institutions before they break? To find out, Christiane spoke to Princeton Professor and autocracy expert Kim Lane Scheppele and Norm Eisen, a former counsel to the House Judiciary Committee and U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic. Then, as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians returned to what is left of their homes in northern Gaza this week, and while hostages are released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, Christiane sat down with Oliver Mcternan, a former Catholic priest turned hostage negotiator. They speak about possible next steps in the ceasefire deal and how to break the endless cycle of violence in the region. Plus, eighty years ago this week, Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz. It marked the beginning of the end of the Holocaust, the darkest chapter in human history. From her archives, Christiane's 2008 reported from Auschwitz for a documentary called "Scream Bloody Murder" which chronicled the stories of those few brave souls who tried to expose genocide. 

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Donald Trump's unprecedented power grab since regaining the presidency challenges the strength of democratic institutions to act as checks and balances. It's the kind of struggle that Norm Eisen and Kim Lane Scheppele have observed closely outside America. Eisen was US Ambassador to the Czech Republic and served as a counsel to the House Judiciary Committee, and Princeton professor Scheppele worked as a researcher at the Hungarian constitutional court. They join the show to discuss their recent New York Times opinion piece, "Are We Sleepwalking Into Autocracy?" 

Also on today's show: Ian Bonhôte & Peter Ettedgui, co-directors, "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story"; journalist/author Chris Hayes 

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A massive recovery is underway in Washington's Potomac river after a passenger aircraft carrying 64 people collided midair with an army Black Hawk helicopter with three soldiers on board. Authorities say there are no survivors. Aviation expert Miles O'Brien joins Christiane to discuss what happened and the rescue efforts.

Also on today's show: Gina McCarthy, Former EPA Administrator/ Fmr White National Climate Advisor; actors Jessica Hecht & Bill Irwin ("Eureka Day"); Anne Neuberger, Fmr. Deputy National Security Adviser for Cyber and Emerging Technology 

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Donald Trump's attempt earlier this week to freeze all federal aid triggered chaos and confusion. As with many of the president's actions so far, it's unclear whether he even had the executive authority to make such an order. Today, the order was abruptly rescinded. But what does this tell us about Trump's strategy? Democratic Senator from Maryland Chris Van Hollen sits on the Appropriations Committee, and joins Christiane from Washington to discuss.  

Also on today's show: Oliver McTernan, Co-Founder and Director, Forward Thinking; Chris Whipple, Author, "The Gatekeepers"  

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"Drill, baby, drill" is not just a slogan that Donald Trump ran on, but a clear policy goal his first week in office. With a flurry of executive orders, his administration is trying to yank the US out of the Paris Climate Accords again, undo Biden-era green investment, and undermine efforts to pursue environmental justice. Benji Backer is a conservative environmental activist who believes that climate should be a non-partisan issue, and Lisa Friedman reports on climate policy and politics for the New York Times. They join the show to discuss what this all means for the climate and environment. 

Also on today's show: Nabih Bulos, Middle East Bureau Chief, The Los Angeles Times; Gabor Maté, Physician / Author, “The Myth of Normal” 

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