Americast

The journalist Peter Bergen also talks to us about meeting Osama Bin Laden before 9/11, and what happened during that interview.

In this episode, Justin, Sumi and Marianna discuss America twenty five years on from 9/11 and to what extent it still shapes the United States, despite millions of Americans today having no lived experience of the attacks.

We also look at the politics, as families who lost loved ones in the attacks have petitioned New York mayor Zohran Mamdani not to attend the 25th anniversary ceremony. More than 100,000 people have signed the petition, objecting to specific members of the mayor’s team. Is this the biggest test yet of Mamdani’s standing in New York City?

Peter Bergen, a national security analyst for CNN who produced the first television interview with Osama Bin Laden in 1997 joins us to give his reflections, and details how the interview came about. His latest book, All the Presidents' Wars, charts the quarter century of conflict that followed the attacks. He is also donating an archive of 150,000 documents on the rise of al-Qaeda to Georgetown University.

He reflects on the legacy of 9/11 and argues that America, not Bin Laden, created the quagmire that came after. And he explains why the alleged mastermind of the attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, is still awaiting trial at Guantanamo Bay, more than 20 years after his arrest.

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This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Nik Sindle. 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

And will Trump’s attempts to limit mail-in voting at the US Supreme Court succeed? The US president has made an urgent appeal, trying to change the rules over who can and can’t vote by mail before this November’s midterm elections, despite ballot papers being posted out in several states.

In this episode, Sarah, Sumi and Marianna are answering your questions with Matt Chorley from 5 Live. We look at why Lindsay Clancy’s mistrial has become over-run with conspiracy theories, and what is likely to happen next. Clancy has admitted killing her three children, in one of America’s biggest murder trials, widely covered on US television and social media platforms.

Plus, what credentials does Trump’s son in law Jared Kushner have when it comes to being a peace envoy, after his meetings with Presidents Zelensky and Putin this weekend?

And how seriously should we take Trump’s proposals for a new Space Force uniform, with many people comparing the designs to those worn by Nazi SS officers.

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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

The reporter Jonathan Swan gained unprecedented access to the inner workings of Donald Trump’s White House in the first year of his second administration. Who were the main characters fighting for the president’s attention? How were decisions made in the Oval Office? And how was the decision taken to go to war with Iran?

On today’s episode, Sumi sits down with Jonathan to talk about the reporting he did alongside Maggie Haberman for their book ‘Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump’. The president says the book is “mostly made up” but that has not stopped inquiries inside the White House as to how Swan and Haberman were able to gain such close access to operations.

From the early days of Trump’s presidency inside Mar-a-Lago to his relationship with Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, we assess the key relationships within Trump’s top team and the differences between senior figures like JD Vance and Marco Rubio.

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This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. 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

Why is the US military losing its senior leaders? In the latest in a series of high-profile departures inside the Pentagon, America’s top civilian official Dan Driscoll has resigned as Army Secretary having been appointed 18 months ago by Donald Trump to help end the Ukraine war and modernise US forces.

In this episode, Anthony and Sumi discuss the significance of the resignation and the real reasons behind it. Driscoll’s departure comes after Pete Hegseth has fired or forced out senior officers across nearly every service, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, the Navy’s top admiral and the Army chief of staff.

But six months into the Iran war, the Pentagon is dealing with fewer senior leaders, few munitions and further questions about the way in which Hegseth is running operations.

Meanwhile, there are also concerns about morale. USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier with nearly 5,000 personnel aboard, is finally due to dock in Pattaya, Thailand, after a record 250 days at sea without a port stop. There’s been scrutiny of conditions on the carrier after members of Congress raised concerns about conditions on the ship and mental stress among the crew. It’s the largest number of US personnel to visit Pattaya since the fall of Saigon in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War.

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This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Michael 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

Americanswers is back for a bank holiday special and this week we're answering the questions you've always wanted to ask on American politics!

For example, Zohran Mamdani can't run for president of the United States as he was born in Uganda, but could he take up a cabinet position in a future Democrat administration? Is there a precedent for such a move, and would he even want it?

Another Americaster wants to know if we see any similarities between Donald Trump and former president Lyndon B. Johnson. LBJ grew up in Anthony's home state of Texas and, unlike Trump, rose to the presidency after positions in Congress and two years as vice president. Despite the obvious differences, both men were considered outsiders in American politics. Do they share anything else in common?

Plus, is money still as important as ever when running for president? The Democratic Party is being outspent by Republicans ahead of the midterm elections but that doesn't mean the candidates themselves are strapped for cash. Has social media changed the game when it comes to political campaigning?

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This episode was made by Chris Flynn 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

In several primary elections so far, polling has been wrong. So much so that a candidate in the Wisconsin Democratic primary dropped out because another candidate so high in the polls. The only problem - the ‘clear winner’ lost.

Whether polls mislead American voters has been an active question since 2016, when predictions were that Donald Trump would lose the presidential race.

But as voters look toward the midterms, we ask when they do and don’t help. Does the media oversell them? And do they play too big of a role in shaping political narratives?

Joining Anthony and Sumi to discuss is Stephen Hawkins, the Global Director of Research at More in Common.

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This episode was made by Chris Flynn, Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. 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

The trade war between the US and Canada has escalated after Canadian prime minister Mark Carney walked away from negotiations to cut a new trade deal with the US and declared up to 50% retaliatory tariffs on hundreds of American goods. Sumi and Anthony discuss how America’s once closest ally is fighting back, and if it could become a political problem for Trump as the midterms approach.

And we mark the passing of musical legend Dolly Parton who has died at the age of 80. With a reputation defined by her quick quips and deep kindness, she had fans from across the political divide, leading an Americaster to ask what would have happened if she’d ever run for president?

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GET IN TOUCH:

This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Michael 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

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says "we cannot accept what they've offered, and we will not give what they've asked,” after trade negotiations with the US broke down over the weekend. Donald Trump has announced 50% tariffs on Canadian cars and steel — though not until January 1st, leaving four months of negotiating room and a set of midterm elections in between.

Can the two countries work out a deal? And why is this round of tariffs different from the previous round that the Supreme Court struck down?

And as US national debt passed $40 trillion, roughly doubled since Trump’s first term, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tried and failed to intervene in the bond market.

What realistic options are left for Donald Trump to intervene? Plus Trump's suggestion that "the ultimate intervention is our military," and whether AI-driven growth is a way out or just another thing crowding out government borrowing.

Justin, Anthony and Marianna answer your questions and discuss googlies, sticky wickets and what ‘coming out of left field’ really means.

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This episode was made by Alix Pickles and Beth Ashmead. 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

Attorney General Todd Blanche won’t pledge to act “independently” from the White House during an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press. Trump’s former personal attorney said no attorney general should ever “pledge” to act independently from the White House, but assured the public that the president would never ask to do “something illegal”.

Blanche’s comments have sparked a debate over the extent to which the justice department should be free from White House control. This comes at a time when Blanche was criticised for helping set up an “anti weaponisation fund” to compensate people who Trump claims were unfairly targeted by the previous Biden administration, such as Jan 6th rioters. There are also fears among Epstein survivors that Blanche - who was criticised for interviewing Ghislane Maxwell in prison - could affect their pursuit of justice.

And, a major legal case brought by 29 US states against Meta has begun, which could affect the way social media companies operate in the future. The states involved claim that Meta - which owns Facebook and Instagram - violated federal and state privacy laws for children and are seeking billions of dollars in damages as well as changes to user experience.

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This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Ricardo McCarthy. 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

Will Donald Trump be forever dogged by his war with Iran and could it come to define his legacy?

And, who is Donald Trump’s executive assistant Natalie Harp, and why are Democrats suddenly talking about her?

A speech by Georgia senator John Ossoff has caught attention after he accused the president of not wanting “to do the job” and instead “travel with Natalie” on Air Force One. It’s thrust Trump’s aide into the spotlight and prompted an angry response from the White House. Why has Ossoff’s comments caused such a strong reaction within the White House, and what does it tell us about the pressure the president is under?

Meanwhile, the US president seems unable to shake off the conflict in Iran, and after threatening US allies Oman and South Korea this week, is this part of a wider strategy, or is Trump actually unraveling?

The US president famously told the conservative influencer Tucker Carlson before the war started that everything will be OK “because it always is”. But with his popularity ratings at an all time low, and midterm elections approaching, there are real concerns that Iran will continue to consume Donald Trump, and his presidency.

In this episode, Sarah and Justin also ask whether there a wider strategy for dealing with the conflict, and how can Donald Trump now extricate America from the war he started.

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This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Jonny Baker. 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