Americast

Pete Hegseth has survived an impeachment attempt, but for how long? What does this mean, and will he keep his job as Defence Secretary? Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has accused Hegseth of fighting an unauthorised war with Iran, but his own party blocked the move.

HOSTS

- Sarah Smith, BBC North America Editor

GET IN TOUCH:

This episode was made by George Dabby with Nik Sindle and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

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.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl

Donald Trump has said he was joking when he suggested that Dana White could become the new White House press secretary despite reports that the UFC boss turned down the role. Was he really offered the job, or did the president mean to nominate a female candidate with the same name?

And, the president has already begun ringing the changes in his inner circle after last week’s midterm defeat to the Democrats. The president has replaced his chief of staff, Susie Wiles, with her former deputy, Stephen Miller, the hardliner responsible for Donald Trump’s strict immigration policies. Is he getting ready for a major fight with Democrats in Congress?

Plus, Sumi and Marianna discuss the sensational revelations that US tech boss, Jensen Huang, has had an affair with an alleged Chinese spy. The reports come on the cusp of a major summit between the US and China and follow Donald Trump’s recent comments on the global AI race, saying that “whoever wins AI, wins.” Nvidia says it has no reason to believe its secrets or national security were compromised, but will "examine all available information". Huang has admitted to being unfaithful to his wife and apologised. How will the news affect relations between the two countries?

HOSTS

GET IN TOUCH:

This episode was made by Alix Pickles and Nik Sindle. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

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.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl

Jim Messina, Democrat strategist and Obama’s former campaign manager gives us the inside track on what Democrats will look for in their next presidential candidate for 2028, and how the race has already started. Jim Messina and Justin discuss the priorities for a future candidate and why money (and the ability to raise millions) is essential.

We also unpack the results and look at how the Democrats achieved huge midterm gains, and what their priorities should be for Congress.

HOSTS:

GUEST:

GET IN TOUCH:

This episode was made by Purvee Pattni and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Kyhree Gray. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

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.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl

After one of the most disastrous set of midterm results in US political history, how are Republicans dealing with the outcome, and where does it leave a JD Vance presidential run in 2028?

The bad news for Republicans is that the midterm results aren’t yet finalised and there could be more bad news in the Senate races taking place in Mississippi and Alaska. Those results are not yet in.

Regardless, senior Republicans have already gone public with their own take for the party’s performance, most notably vice president JD Vance, who’s broken ranks by publicly declaring that the party’s losses were caused by Donald Trump’s war in Iran.

That’s led to reporting suggesting that Pete Hegseth’s position as US defence secretary could now be under threat with Donald Trump considering whether to remove him from his position.

As the inquest begins within the Republican Party, the entire Americast crew get together to unpack what Democratic control of Congress will mean for the rest of Donald Trump’s presidency.

HOSTS:

GET IN TOUCH:

This episode was made by George Dabby, Nik Sindle and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Phillip Bull. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

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.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl

What’s next for the Democrats, and for the last two years of Trump’s presidency? As Democrats make sweeping gains across traditional red states in America, Justin, Anthony and Sarah discuss how it was done, and the impact for Democrats and Donald Trump.

Kansas has elected its first Democratic senator since the 1930s. South Carolina has rejected a Senate candidate strongly endorsed by Donald Trump. And Iowa and Ohio have also gone to the Democrats. Mississippi, meanwhile, is still too close to call. The president has said he will accept the results. But with Democrats in control of Congress, what can he still get done?

Justin, Sarah and Anthony ask what this means for the rest of the Trump presidency, and which way both parties might now turn as they look ahead to 2028.

HOSTS:

GET IN TOUCH:

This episode was made by George Dabby with Oliver Bowbrick, Alix Pickles and Nik Sindle. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

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.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl

The Democrats have made seismic gains by taking Texas, Kansas and South Carolina senate seats.

After taking back control of the House of Representatives, it was then confirmed that James Talarico had won the Democrat’s first Senate seat in Texas in decades, while Kansas elected its first Democratic senator since 1932.

With more results still to come in, Donald Trump proclaimed on Truth Social overnight “I wasn’t on the Ballot and if I was, we would have won IN A LANDSLIDE!”.

What do the results so far mean for Democrats and Republicans, and just how bad a night could this turn out to be for the president?

HOSTS:

GET IN TOUCH:

This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles. The technical producer was James Piper. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

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.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl

When will we know the results and what are the key races to watch out for?

Anthony and Justin give you the definitive guide to the US midterm elections, including the races and themes they think are important, and what they’ll be looking out for when results start coming in.

In this episode, we talk exit polls, projected results, and timings for when we know who has won, and which party will take control of the US House of Representatives and Senate. What could Democrats actually do, and what would it mean for the rest of Donald Trump’s second presidential term?

We also discuss the gubernatorial - governor - races taking place across the country and why they’re particularly significant. Plus, could more American states make it easier for their citizens to cast their votes?

HOSTS:

GET IN TOUCH:

This episode was made by Purvee Pattni, George Dabby, Alix Pickles and Nik Sindle. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

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.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl

A Democrat in Michigan has unexpectedly endorsed the Republican candidate, in the state’s crucial US senate contest. Will this stop the Democrats taking back the Senate?

In this episode, Justin and Anthony are both in DC, and discuss why this defection is so significant and what it means for Democrats now, and in the 2028 presidential election.

We also look at Donald Trump’s final pitch to voters in this US midterms campaign as he gives his final speeches in Kansas and Iowa. What did he say to his supporters?

With just days to go until the midterm elections, the Democrats believe they could flip as many as six seats in the Senate. What are the polls telling us with just days to go until the midterm elections, and could results still go in Donald Trump's favour?

The Democrats have been trying to oust Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins for almost three decades. With the midterms days away, President Donald Trump’s unpopularity could see her finally removed. The Maine election has become a referendum on how voters view Senator Collins. Mainers are deciding if they continue to trust the woman who has climbed the ranks of the Republican party and brought millions of dollars of federal money to their state, or if they find her affiliation with Trump too much. Her contender, progressive Democrat Troy Jackson is a late entrant to the race, after his predecessor Graham Platner suspended his campaign following a series of scandals that included a woman accusing him of sexual assault. A former logger, his campaign has been marred after telling Collins to “shut up” during a debate.

Meanwhile, Anthony’s spoken to veteran election analyst Carrie Dann, the Managing Editor of The Cook Political Report. She explains to us where she sees the tightest races, what is mattering most to voters, and who she thinks will win.

HOSTS

GUEST

GET IN TOUCH:

This episode was made by George Dabby with Eleanor Harrison-Dengate and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

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.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: US Politics Unspun: Sign up for our BBC newsletter

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: BBC Sounds - Newscast - Available Episodes

It's been three decades since Texas last sent a Democrat senator to Congress. Will anger towards Donald Trump mean it could finally happen again?

HOSTS

- Sarah Smith, US North America Editor

GET IN TOUCH:

This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

If you want to be notified every time we publish a new episode, please subscribe to us on BBC Sounds by hitting the subscribe button on the app.

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.

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155

Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Newscast. If you enjoy Americast (and if you're reading this then you hopefully do), then we think that you will enjoy some of our other pods too. See links below.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl