The News Agents - USA

Has Vivek Ramaswamy, close friend of JD Vance, just plunged to an all time low in American politics? He is scrapping in second place in the race to become Ohio's next governor, with rival Amy Acton, a former physician, primed to become the first Democrat in that role in two decades.

And the attack ad he has just released has been labelled by critics as "disgusting", "outrageous" and the "scummiest thing I've seen in politics". In it, Acton's estranged mother labels her daughter a liar with a "serious problem" who will only make the state worse. What the ad fails to mention is that Acton and her brother abused by their stepfather, and she was taken out of their care at the age of 12. How on earth did this advert ever make it to air? And can we be sure that it will backfire?

Later, a sneak preview of Miles Taylor's new documentary 'Corruptionland' - he takes us into the kind of sums that the Trump family has made since they’ve been back in power.

The News Agents USA is a Global Production.

The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Sean Spicer, Anthony Scaramucci, Karoline Leavitt. Donald Trump's history of press secretaries is enough to tell you that it's a job like no other - with unrelenting scrutiny from the press and the President. Enter Katie Zacharia, Trump's new pick for the job. She made her debut yesterday, and despite fielding only three questions, has become something of a Meme for her shaky first outing - fielding only three questions, failing to answer basics, and struggling to speak without constant reference to her notes. And that's before you even dig into her CV: is she actually a lawyer and why was she working in China? President Trump likes to project strength, but the press reviews of his new hire suggest she is fast becoming a major point of weakness for his administration. How long can she last?

Later, America's ambassador to Greece has been ousted by Trump after she was using her influence inside Trump world to get a donor to pay off her credit card bills. Kimberley Guilfoyle was once engaged to the President's son - so why did he choose to wield the knife?

With Miles Taylor.

The News Agents USA is a Global Production.

The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Things don’t look as rosy as they might in MAGAland. Texas Republican Ken Paxton was caught on tape blaming Trump’s Iran war for his own tough race. To be fair, Paxton may find he can sink this one on his own. But the picture is the same in many of the deep Red states where Trump is hindering not helping. Last night things came to a new peak with his suggestion that Iran should maybe bomb California. Will any of this tank MAGA chances in the mid terms?

Later, Miles Taylor joins us to discuss why the government has shut down the very bio security department keeping America safe from weapons of mass destruction.

The News Agents USA is a Global Production.

The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

The Republicans cannot get over Jack Smith. The former special counsel who led two criminal cases against Donald Trump faced a barrage of attacks from GOP senators on the Judiciary Committee: "You make me want to throw up in my mouth"; "The most egregious abuse of power in the history of the Department of Justice"; "You are a total dirtbag."

But when they thought they had a smoking gun, the interrogation backfired spectacularly. Senator Eric Schmitt confused two basketball teams and alleged that Smith was at a game he never attended, in a state he wasn't in. Schmitt was trying to insinuate that Smith was secretly coordinating against Trump with a prosecutor in Georgia, but his "gotcha" humiliated only himself. Why is the GOP still so set on rehashing old, debunked allegations of political persecution against Donald Trump?

Later, gang rape allegations at Cornell University have shocked America and led Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to condemn a "culture of rape, sexual assault, and pedophilia" in elite institutions. Will it change anything?

The News Agents USA is a Global Production.

The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Has the GOP woken up to the drag anchor that Donald Trump is on their electoral fortunes? There are signs that MAGA is not the magnet it once was. A steady stream of Republicans have come out in recent days to criticise the President and his administration - on Iran, on beef prices, on Trump Jr's wedding, on ICE. The list goes on. It seemed for so long like diehard loyalty to Trump was an essential ingredient for the American Right - so why are so many hoping to enter Congress scrubbing mentions of him from their websites?

Later, the curious case of Susan Collins and an FBI investigation that Trump shut down. The Dems say that "the jig is up" for the Maine veteran. Could it swing the Senate?

The News Agents USA is a Global Production.

The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

With the midterms approaching, President Trump has once again raised the stakes, with FBI Director Kash Patel saying he is open to sending federal agents into polling stations. The comments have sparked alarm among Democrats, who fear the Trump administration could take increasingly aggressive steps to assert control over the coming elections.

Just a week ago, Trump was offering every American adult $5,000 if Republicans won the midterms. So how have things escalated so quickly? And do dire poll numbers increase the chances of Trump taking even more drastic action as November approaches?

The News Agents USA is a Global Production.

The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

In a characteristic break with US political tradition, President Trump is holding a two-day event in Dallas, Texas ahead of the upcoming midterms. The problem? No one seems to want to go. Dallas is a deeply red state. It's packed with reporters, activists and campaigners. So why aren't republicans turning up? And what does that tell us about what to expect from the midterms?

The News Agents USA is a Global production.

The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

It's quite a claim, but Bernie Sanders has suggested that some Democrats would rather lose the Senate than support Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and Angie Nixon in Florida.

These firebrand progressive candidates, Sanders claims, are too much of a threat to oligarchy and the US relationship with Israel for a minority of establishment Democrats to get behind. Is he right? And if so, what does it say about the depth of division in the party? Or is this really about who gets the presidential nomination in 2028?

Later, the Pulitzer prize winning biographer Kai Bird on how Donald Trump learnt the dark arts from Roy Cohn - and how Cohn has defined America's politics today.

The News Agents USA is a Global Production.

The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

As the USA and Canada head towards a prolonged economic confrontation, we look at Trump’s escalating tariffs on Canada, Mark Carney’s decision to hit back, and what a trade war between two of the world’s most integrated economies could mean for American consumers, businesses and their wider alliance.

Then there’s China. Trump is trying to squeeze Beijing while keeping the broader US-China relationship from spiralling — but China is also Iran’s biggest trading partner and a major buyer of Iranian oil. That puts Trump’s new economic pressure on Tehran on a collision course with his attempts to manage relations with Xi.

Later, we discuss another Trump war. This time his war on mail-in ballots.

The News Agents USA is a Global production.

The crew of the USS Abraham Lincoln have been at sea for over nine months without docking for a port call. Sailors are reporting grimy conditions, rotting food, and deteriorating mental health. Some have even allegedly taken to trying to throw themselves overboard. President Trump is dismissing the concerns - saying the deployment is "not nearly long enough". Families are urging him to take some accountability and respect Navy staff. Why is the Trump administration now facing a battle with its own military?

Later, another surprise DSA win in Florida left one of Trump's first term foes on the political scrapheap - and why Trump keeps getting so tetchy at the mention of Natalie Harp.

With Miles Taylor.

The News Agents USA is a Global Production.

The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/