This week, Donald Trump completed his first official trip abroad, a bling-filled tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE that was punctuated by lots of his favourite things: lucrative deals. 

He also announced he would be lifting sanctions on Syria and that a deal with Iran is close. 

It was a trip designed to focus on positive headlines, alliances, and good vibes - a rare narrative in the Middle East these days.

Venetia talks to Saudi policy analyst Dr Najah Al-Otaibi about how the trip went down in the Gulf, some of the deal highlights, and why Trump has such a close 'bromance' with Saudi leader Mohammed Bin Salman. 

There was one area where things weren't so positive - the Gaza war, which is set to intensify in the coming weeks despite growing warnings of famine amid an Israeli aid blockade. 

Jonathan Crickx, Unicef's chief of communications in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, shares his insights and experiences from his recent trip to the Strip. 

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After four days of airstrikes and artillery duels, India and Pakistan have called a truce. But how long will the peace last, who won, and what lessons have their generals learned?

Roland Oliphant talks to Dr Chietigj Bajpaee, senior research fellow for South Asia at Chatham House, about the real war, the propaganda war and the role of China and the US.

Plus, chief foreign commentator David Blair discusses the bromance between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on display in Moscow last week, and asks whether the US's wedge policy to drive the two countries apart is working.

https://linktr.ee/BattleLines

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Amid the election of the first ever American Pope, Robert Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, Roland Oliphant looks at the rise of a new force in American politics: MAGA Catholics.

Vice President JD Vance, First Lady Melania Trump, and of course Steve Bannon - Trump’s first term chief of staff - are among the best known names in Washington. Tim Stanley, The Telegraph’s “weapons-grade Catholic” sketch-writer, joins from Rome to discuss what unites Catholics and the MAGA movement, how much influence they wield in Washington, and whether they can influence the choice of the next Pope.

Plus, as Donald Trump prepares to go to the Middle East for the first official foreign trip of his second term, program director at the Institute for Global Affairs at Eurasia Group Jonathan Guyer explains what is on the agenda and what may actually be achieved. 

Rob Crilly's interview with Marjorie Taylor Greene: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/05/08/marjorie-taylor-greene-trump-needs-to-focus-on-america/

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Will there be a Ukraine peace deal this year? What's it like to be a reporter in China? Is Labour too wishy-washy on defence? And which conflicts should we be paying more attention to?

Venetia Rainey is joined by defence editor Danielle Sheridan, senior foreign correspondent Sophia Yan and Ukraine: The Latest host Adelie Pojzman-Pontay to discuss the biggest stories of the year so far. 

Plus, they reflect on what it’s like to be a foreign correspondent and the unique advantages and challenges of being a woman reporting on war and defence, including why can’t pregnant women go on Royal Navy ships.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/rhcc-vs-lwcc?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=WA&utm_campaign=015

https://linktr.ee/BattleLines

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This week marked 100 days of Donald Trump’s second term. And what a hundred days it’s been. 

From cosying up to Vladimir Putin and closing USAID, to a trade war with China and effectively ending illegal migration into America, he has been busy.

Venetia Rainey is joined by co-host and chief foreign analyst Roland Oliphant and US editor Rob Crilly to assess everything Trump has done in terms of foreign policy, and what the consequences might be going forward. 

They also look at everything Trump hasn’t done despite promising to - from ending the wars in Ukraine and Gaza to annexing Canada. 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/04/30/we-have-no-proof-kilmar-abrego-garcia-is-a-gangster-el/

https://www.justgiving.com/page/rhcc-vs-lwcc?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=WA&utm_campaign=015

https://linktr.ee/BattleLines

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Wherever you look, we’re living in a world of increasing conflict and tensions.

That’s certainly the conclusion of the highly respected Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which found an unprecedented rise in global military spending, the steepest increase since the end of the cold war.

SIPRI senior researcher Diego Lopes da Silva joins Venetia Rainey to look at who the biggest spenders are and what's driving the spike in spending. 

Plus, South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman looks at the growing tensions between nuclear foes India and Pakistan following a brutal attack on Indian tourists in Kashmir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed a military response, prompting fears of an all-out war. How likely is it and can anyone stop it from escalating?

Germany overtakes Britain to become Europe’s largest defence spender

The most dangerous river in the world: Why the Indus could spark WWIII

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Donald Trump's defence secretary Pete Hegseth shared classified information on an unsecured group chat - not once but twice, according to new details that emerged this week. But the real turbulence shaking the Pentagon isn’t just about loose digital lips. It’s deeper: a toxic mix of internal rivalries, leadership clashes, and a crumbling sense of morale at the very top of America's defence hierarchy.

To unpack the chaos, we speak to Kathleen McInnis, senior fellow in the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, former Pentagon staffer and author of a novel about life inside the defence department. She explains why encrypted apps like Signal are favored in Hegseth’s circles — and what life is really like behind the walls of the Pentagon.

https://linktr.ee/BattleLines

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For the past century, war has been fought in three domains: land, sea, and air. But now, there is a fourth.

As America and China rush to establish bases on the Moon and Mars, Ukraine and Russia try to jam one another's satellite signals, and middle sized powers are learning how to protect themselves from enemy space weapons. Many countries now field Space Forces alongside armies, navies and airforces. How close are we to the first space war? And what will it look like? And who would win?

Roland Oliphant speaks to Juliana Suess, a space specialist at Germany's Institute for International and Security Affairs and Namrata Goswami, an author, professor and consultant specializing in space policy, about the era of war in the heavens.

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Lord Kim Darroch, former UK ambassador to the US, joins Venetia Rainey to talk Trump 1.0 vs 2.0, trade wars and Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. 

The Telegraph revealed this week that the US could finalise a trade deal with the UK within three weeks. That comes on the back of comments from JD Vance about how much Trump loves the UK and that a deal is highly likely. So what could that deal look like? And what would the potential costs be for the UK?

While he was ambassador to the US between 2016 and 2019, Lord Darroch also had direct experience of Trump’s first trade war with China. He talks about how this one might go and what it would mean for Britain.

Plus, Lord Darroch shares his insights on why we need a new Iran nuclear deal, how Nato can survive the US’ shift away from Europe, and why Trump loves Churchill - even if members of his circle increasingly don’t.

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The Troubles was a major period of conflict right here in the UK within living memory that continues to echo today, yet very few people know much about it. There is even less awareness about a clandestine network of spies that the British state was running - right in the heart of terror groups on both sides, including Stakeknife in the IRA.

On this bonus episode of Battle Lines, Venetia Rainey sits down with The Telegraph's investigative audio journalist Cara McGoogan to hear all about her new podcast, which digs into the spies, terrorists and collusion that became a hallmark of the conflict. Was it a civil war? What was the UK trying to achieve with its agents? What was the cost of letting them kill to stay undercover? Could the Troubles be reignited if they're not properly addressed? And is the state getting away with murder?

You can listen to the full season now on The Telegraph: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/01/31/bed-of-lies-new-series-conflict/

Or search for 'Bed of Lies' wherever you get your podcasts.

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