The News Agents - USA
Join Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel in a weekly podcast that unpicks everything you need to know about the world of US politics - all of it delivered with Emily and Jon’s astute analysis, world-class insight and wry sense of humour. Episodes are available every Tuesday/Wednesday. The News Agents USA is a Global Player Original podcast and production.
Episodes
Trump's Tehran nightmare: Are Republicans done with his Iran war?
Pete Hegseth took an absolute pummelling in the Senate as he tried to make the continued case for Trump's war in Iran. It wasn't just the Democrats getting exasperated - Louisiana Senator John Kennedy said the situation was as serious as "four strokes and a heart attack" - and lambasted the lack of "straight answers" coming from the Secretary of War.Trump insisted yesterday that Iran's threats ove
ICE kills again
ICE agents have been instructed to immediately suspend vehicle stops during enforcement operations nationwide. It follows two fatal shootings in Texas and Maine over the last week. Are things getting out of control again? Or are ICE about to double down? And how are Americans reacting? Former Chief of Staff at Homeland Security, Miles Taylor joins us.Later, we look back the strange legacy of Senat
Why did Dems ignore Platner's red flags for so long?
There were so many signs that Graham Platner was a flawed candidate. A history of offensive social media posts, A tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol. A sexting scandal. And last month, a series of ex-partners accusing Platner of erratic and angry behaviour. But it wasn't until this week, when a woman told CNN that she had been sexually assaulted by Platner, that his position became untenable as the D
Trump's crypto billion dollars - why is everyone fine with it?
President Donald Trump made more than $1bn last year from business dealings in cryptocurrency. This week's disclosure shows his crypto earnings now far overshadow income from his real estate business.On this week's episode we ask why nobody seems to have too much of a problem with it?Later, we discuss this week's Supreme Court judgments, where Trump's plan to over-turn the right to birthright citi
Zohran Mamdani: The Democrats' new power broker?
There was something of a political earthquake in New York overnight. Three left wing Democratic candidates, endorsed by Mamdani, sweeping out established Congressional characters and hailing in a new era of progressive politics in the Big Apple.Mamdani's political stardust shows little sign of waning - is he now the most powerful figure in his party? And what does that mean for the future of the D
Why is Donald Trump hosting a cage fight at the White House?
"Congratulations to all!" Read the President's tweet on truth social. Nominally, this was about the end of the (self-imposed) Iran war. But it’s also possible Trump was congratulating himself on his 80th birthday, which somehow managed to hijack the 250th Independence Day anniversary.So why was there a cage fight on the White House lawn? What does Joe Rogan really make of Trump now? And why - if t
Mehdi Hasan on MAGA, Maine and media cowards
How should Democrats be feeling today about their Senate candidate for Maine? Graham Platner has a Nazi tattoo, a dodgy past and quite a lot of baggage. But his fans call him an authentic voice that’s ready to shake up the election in a seat they just can’t seem to win.We ask journalist and broadcaster Mehdi Hasan what’s going on in the Democratic Party more widely - and as turmoil strikes the hea
Why Trump's own party has killed his J6 slush fund
Trump wanted taxpayer money set aside for a 'slush fund' critics feared would be used to payout millions for his January 6th allies. But in a rare act of defiance, Republicans have killed off the plan before it could become reality.Why did Trump’s own party draw the line here? Was it a principled stand, a political calculation, or a sign that some Republicans are growing nervous about defending ev
Has Donald Trump just gifted Texas to the Democrats?
Ken Paxton - Texas Attorney General - and a politician with a string of sleaze investigations behind him - has just been anointed by Trump as the Texas Senate candidate.Has Trump made a terrible mistake here? Why are the Democrats licking their lips? And is a blue seat in a deep red state starting to seem possible?Later, Philadelphia congressman Brendan Boyle on Trump’s slush fund, the mid term ra
Is Trump now bankrolling a MAGA paramilitary?
Donald Trump announced a $1.776bn new scheme this week labelled an 'anti-weaponisation fund' to compensate citizens who've been mistreated by the US justice system. Who could the President have in mind as in need of compensation? How about the January 6th rioters? Well they are stepping forward in their droves to state their intentions to claim millions from the IRS - and Trump seems to be cheerin
Has Trump just written the campaign ad for every Democrat?
Did Trump really mean to tell Americans he wasn't thinking of their financial situation "at all" when he went to war with Iran? He repeated it several times so we can assume it was no slip of the tongue. The democrats are delighted. His allies are dismayed. Expect that line to get played on a loop. But has Trump stopped worrying about the economy for everyone except his own family? And has he give
Trump's Epic Fury...with Indiana Republicans
Overnight in Indiana ,Trump showed the grasp he still has over the Republican Party where the candidates he’d endorsed for the State Senate won their primaries against the moderate Republicans that had stood up to his attempts to gerrymander.It's remarkable in itself that Trump was at all invested in the races - these are local politicians earning $33,000 a year - and yet his influence proved key.
Is Trump a Russian asset? Fiona Hill on the President she worked for
Fiona Hill served in Donald Trump's first administration and is one of the most authoritative voices on geopolitics. She advised on his Russia strategy and matters of national intelligence - before becoming a witness in his impeachment in 2019.She has worked up close and personal with the President. And, as the war in Iran rages, and Putin continues to try and chisel Trump away from Europe's posit
The Democrats are finally fighting dirty - will it be enough to win?
Voters in Virginia have approved changes to their electoral map which essentially makes it easier for Democrats to win. Republicans argue they’ve been disenfranchised - and they’re right: It’s ugly. It’s unfair. But it’s not illegal.What’s more, they've already done the same thing in the red state of Texas. So are democrats finally learning how to play dirty? Is it enough to win? And are they prep
Are any Republicans getting ready to move against Trump?
Has Trump’s erratic behaviour and threatening rhetoric over the last few weeks rendered him unfit for office? The question seems an obvious one to House Democrats - who are petitioning to remove him under 25th amendment. They won’t succeed. No one ever has. But it raises a bigger question of how many and for how long those around Trump are prepared to stand by and do nothing.Miles Taylor was in th
Has Trump lost control of his own party?
Besides Trump's threat to eliminate Iran, something else remarkable happened this week. A string of Republican Congressmen finally found the courage in themselves to come forward and criticise that threat.Trump's actions in the Middle East are a disaster for his colleagues. Gas prices are up, the affordability agenda is in tatters, and America looks on course for a humiliating military defeat to a
Will Trump's record unpopularity make him end the war in Iran?
Things just aren’t going well for Donald Trump right now. Forget the Iran war, his spectacular NATO fallout, rising gas prices, Trump’s just heard that the construction of his 90,000ft ballroom will have to be paused after a judge told him he was the White House steward and not its owner. The affordability crisis in America is spiking as his poll numbers are tanking. Is he looking for a speedy way
How Trump screwed the world economy
Vast sums of money was traded before President Trump's now famous attempt to announce an Iran peace deal on Monday. The speculation was that those with prior knowledge had capitalised by insider trading. Today we’re joined by Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman to explain why this sounds highly plausible, and why there’s no ethics investigation even if it’s true. Later - was Meta and Google
Is MAGA rupturing over Trump's war in Iran?
The first resignation over the Iran war came yesterday. Oddball Joe Kent, Director of counter-terrorism, said he disagreed with President Trump's war. Are others starting to feel the same? Loud voices in MAGA are telling Trump he’s got it wrong. What happens now?We talk to Jason Greenblatt, White House special envoy to the Middle East during Trump's first term, about what Trump is trying to achiev
Trump's Kentucky chaos and Rubio's big...shoes
Despite being at war, America's commander in chief President Trump has been busy hosting election-style campaign events ahead of important midterm elections. It was billed as an "affordability tour", a chance for Trump to hammer home the ways in which his presidency will make voters feel better off.But predictably, at a rally in Kentucky, Trump went off script. He used the platform to repeatedly s
Will Trump's Iran strikes hit him in the ballots?
Why did Trump decide to strike Iran? Was it the US that started the war? Is it even a war? Listening to senior figures in the administration and in MAGA it's not entirely clear. The accounts are confused, contradictory, and seem to change by day.What is clearer is that the American public don't support the action. Polling suggests only one in four Americans back the strikes - and a series of Trump
Where are the missing Epstein files that point to Trump?
Has the DOJ withheld documents from the Epstein files that relate to allegations against President Trump? That's the accusation from senior Democrats after an NPR investigation found that more than 50 pages of FBI interviews and notes from a conversation with a woman who accused Trump of sexual abuse when she was a minor were removed from the dataset.California Congressman Robert Garcia is calling
Mark Kelly: The Senator Trump wants 'hanged'
Senator Mark Kelly is a former astronaut, a Navy pilot, and was almost Kamala Harris VP pick. Now he’s weighing up a run for the presidency himself in 2028. He came into the News Agents studio this lunchtime to tell us why Trump is helping his cause by threatening to have him “hanged“ and why it’s important for European leaders, including Starmer, to push back on Trump’s bullying.The News Agents U
Clinton, Epstein and Trump's dire polling
Trump is trying his best to manifest good polling numbers. But the raw numbers as they stand are dire for the President. This week, we talk to top pollster Doug Sosnik, who was at Bill Clinton’s side for six years, about political shamelessness, polling and 'the Epstein class'.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Why are the Epstein files revealing more about the victims than the villains?
In an exclusive interview with Emily, Amy Wallace - who co-authored Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir - warns that lives are being put in danger by the way that the US department of justice has handled the Epstein files.Why are victims' names appearing unredacted but possible perpetrators are having their names concealed, and testimony against them omitted entirely?Donald Trump has told America
Billy Crudup on The Morning Show, moral cowardice, and Minneapolis as a police state
The actor Billy Crudup, known for The Morning show, Jay Kelly, and Almost Famous, is bringing the Western to the London stage in High Noon. It's an allegory of McCarthyism and Hollywood’s “black list ". This week, he joined Emily in the studio to discuss why he’s drawn to stories of moral cowardice and why he finds it so easy to speak up right now.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK -
Is Trump trying to distract us from the Epstein files?
The deadline to release the Epstein files is now over a month old. Last night, a congressional committee confirmed Ghislaine Maxwell would appear before it in a hearing on February 9th. Although she may choose to say little. The vote in Congress last November created a legal obligation on the government to release the Epstein files. So what happens now if the justice department refuses to comply?
Will Trump bring martial law to Minnesota?
It's a week since Renee Nicole Good was shot by an ICE agent whilst in her car in Minnesota. Since then, protests have erupted around the country, schools in Minneapolis have closed, and last night saw a second shooting by an ICE agent. Is the immigration law enforcement now just a political weapon? And, as Trump threatens martial law, is ICE deliberately trying to provoke conflict in Minnesota? W
Why 2026 could be Trump's most volatile year yet
The plan to taken down Venezuelan leader, Nicolas Maduro, was months in the making. And yet, when it did finally happen, it not only took Caracas by surprise but even Washington was stunned by the speed of the incursion. What does the operation in Venezuela tell us about how Trump might be planning to take over other territories? Why has he got his eyes on oil tanks, and is he prepared to go battl
Has Vanity Fair made MAGA look ugly again?
Trump's inner circle may be wondering this week why they gave Vanity Fair exclusive access and close up photos for the magazine. The portrait is unflattering to say the least. And highly revelatory. Will it change how Trump sees those around him? And why is the MAGA aesthetic so central to the brand?Also - Trump speaks to the nation about the economy. Why’s he had to make up all his figures?The Ne
Why are Americans abandoning Trump on the economy?
Affordability is the word that Zohran Mamdani made the centre of his New York mayoral campaign after watching the Democrats lose so badly in 2024. But now it’s the Republicans and President Trump that have to convince voters the economy is going in the right direction. And 70 percent of them no longer trust Trump to get it right. What does this mean for the midterms? Later, why the Supreme Court c
Is this the biggest political sex scandal since Lewinsky?
The story of the affair between journalist Olivia Nuzzi and Health Secretary RFK Junior has been called the least important and most important story of our times. What does it tell us about MAGA culture, journalistic ethics and the power of click bait versus deep dive investigation? Why is America so obsessed with her story? Later, has a leaked recording of Pete Hegseth, Secretary of WAR, opened h
Has Trump's lawfare blown up in his face?
The former FBI director James Comey has walked free after his indictment was thrown out by a judge who decided the presiding attorney was actually invalid. It’s a tricky moment for Donald Trump, who had pursued his enemies in the hope of putting behind bars people who he called “bad” - and led to accusations of “vindictive prosecution“ by the President. But already, the administration's ire has tu
Inside Trump's psyche as Epstein rips MAGA apart
Last night both houses of Congress overwhelmingly voted to force the justice department to release the Epstein files. We could see the contents made public within days. But the vote itself, long resisted by Trump, has left the President looking weaker and more friendless amongst the MAGA base than he’s ever been. Is he starting to look like a lame duck President? And are Republicans imagining a MA
Trump's billion dollar battle with the BBC - what's at stake
Donald Trump has told Fox News he has an "obligation" to sue the BBC - claiming the broadcaster "defrauded the public" in the way a Panorama episode misleadingly edited a clip of his January 6th speech.The dispute has made it on to Joe Rogan's podcast, and the BBC is being hauled into the 'fake news' category by MAGA commentators.How serious is President Trump in his threats? And could he bankrupt
"Trump's worst nightmare": Mamdani wins New York
After a year in the wilderness for the Democrats, last nights electoral victories have given many a taste of winning again. Races in Democratic strongholds like New York, California, New Jersey and Virginia may not have been a shock - but the scale of the victories and the size of the turnouts has put a spring back into the step of those who’d given up hope.Today we discuss what Zohran Mamdani, Ga
What would a Mamdani win mean for Trump's America?
A week out from the New York mayoral contest we speak to a good friend of Zohran Mamdani - journalist and broadcaster Ross Barkan. Does Mamdani represent a totally fresh start for the Democrats - or did he just get lucky with his opponents? And what lesson will the party take away if he’s victorious next week?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Exclusive: George Santos on Trump's get out of jail free pass
Former Republican congressman George Santos was jailed for wire fraud and identity theft and began his 7 year sentence in the summer. On Friday, after a mere 87 days, it was commuted - by the president - and Santos walked free. Today he gives us the first UK interview since his commutation to explain his crimes, his appeal for clemency, and what it tells us about Trump's America in 2025.Later, wha
MAGA brands anti-Trump protestors 'American traitors'
Saturday could see the largest mass demonstration in modern American history. The "No Kings" rallies across the country will see millions turn out to voice their discontent with Donald Trump and his administration's increasingly authoritarian actions. Robert De Niro is among those urging people to take to the streets, But senior MAGA figures are trying to discredit the whole thing before it's even
Trump puts his enemies on the stand
James Comey, former director of the FBI and Trump’s enemy number 1, has appeared in court this week to plead not guilty of lying to Congress. Trump has desperately sought his prosecution and said so out loud on numerous occasions. The President has struggled to find prosecutors who were even prepared to seek Comey's arrest. We talk to the FBIs former General Council, Andrew Weissmann, about the c
Trump wages war on the "enemy within"
On today’s episode, the jaw-dropping personal account from a former government employee whose life has been turned upside down by the US President. Miles Taylor finds himself the subject of an unprecedented executive order and faces accusations of "treason" from Donald Trump. His crime? Speaking out about the dangers he saw coming in the first administration. How did dissent become criminalised in
Kimmel uncancelled: Is this a fight Trump can't win?
Late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel was taken off air “indefinitely" last week by his ABC bosses at a Disney. But last night he came back. And he had plenty to say. We analyse the show, the reaction from the audience - and Trump - and ask if comedians are showing us how to resist the silencing. Later, we talk to Congressman Hank Johnson about whether the fight back has begun in earnest.Visit our new
How Trump's free speech crackdown is angering the Right
As more details emerge about the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk and more questions about his motivation, one thing is pretty clear - he is not obviously part of any "domestic terror network" of the kind Trump and his administration is now pursuing. Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson is going after the Attorney General for her threats to free (hate) speech. How did the administration get themselves into th
Are world leaders treating Trump like a useful idiot?
Donald Trump has told reporters (several times) that he is “ not thrilled “ by Benjamin Netanyahu's bombing of Hamas targets in Qatar. He’s told Netanyahu it’s “an unfortunate incident “. Just like he’s asked Putin nicely “not to bomb Ukraine“. When is Trump going to realise his words have little effect on either man? He’s failed to stop either war despite coming into office promising to stop the
Has RFK Jr declared a war on science?
Why has America's health secretary RFK Jr fired the head of America's public health body? He says she was taking the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the wrong direction. She and her colleagues - who have resigned in protest - say they were uncomfortable following an anti-vax, anti-science direction of travel. Where will the MAHA project leave Americans? Will vaccines dry up? And does
Does America really "want a dictator"?
It's not the first time Donald Trump has overreached, but his latest assertion is that he has the right to do whatever he wants. Trump wants total control - of universities, the police and anyone he perceives to be a threat. He's 'fired' Lisa Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors. The FBI have raided John Bolton's home. Are there any signs anywhere of any
Do Dems have to sound like Trump to beat him?
We start with the fallout from the unorthodox, perhaps undignifying diplomatic spectacle at the White House earlier this week. We are a million miles away from any peace deal in Ukraine, let alone any concrete shape of the 'security guarantees' Donald Trump has suggested may hypothetically be offered by the US in the event that Europe puts boots on the ground in Ukraine. And yet, already, prominen
Trump's Cultural Revolution: the dismantling of truth
Why is a Texas politician camped out in an undisclosed location, hiding from the FBI, and fearing that democracy is on the line? Jolanda Jones tells us about the extraordinary standoff taking place in her state.But first - what is Trump doing to crime figures, jobs numbers, museum archives and the Ivy League universities? A common theme is emerging - the President rewriting history like an authori
Why don't Americans trust Trump on Epstein?
Trump's inner circle are heading to the Vice President's residence for what was supposed to be a secret summit to discuss the administration's strategy regarding the Epstein crisis that has engulfed the President.Polling shows that the American public are increasingly convinced that Trump is hiding something, and CNN says his team are now weighing up whether to publish recordings of the interview
Why the Trump administration is not a reliable ally to Britain
On this week's episode of The News Agents USA Jon is joined in the studio by Jamie Raskin, a congressman and senior figure in the Democratic Party, who led the impeachment of Donald Trump after January 6th.In an exclusive interview he discusses the future of the democratic party, free speech, the relationship between Trump and the UK, his role in ousting Joe Biden as the party's nominee for Presi
Will shutting down Congress kill the Trump-Epstein story?
In an unprecedented move, Mike Johnson - the Speaker of the House has just shut Congress for the summer and sent legislators home early to stop them passing a bipartisan bill calling for the release of files on Jeffrey Epstein. Mike Johnson is scared of Donald Trump. But what is Donald Trump so scared of? And why can’t he make this Epstein story go away? We’re joined by the reporter that’s followe
The conspiracy theory Trump can't kill
Does the Democratic Party need fresh blood? New ideas? Perhaps a whole new populist approach to politics? That’s the interview you’ll be hearing with Saikat Chakrabarti - the young tech millionaire hoping to unseat Nancy Pelosi next year who believes that the Dems are dead unless they seriously reinvent. But we begin with the problem that simply won’t go away for Trump. The Epstein files and how i
How the Epstein files have turned MAGA against Trump
Donald Trump's cheerleaders and media outriders are apoplectic with his administration. After months of anticipation that the attorney general Pam Bondi would release an Epstein 'client list' - the names of wealthy individuals that the disgraced paedophile billionaire had blackmailed for influence - a joint DOJ and FBI memo this week dismissed the idea that any such list even existed. Not normally
Will Trump's big beautiful bill bankrupt America?
Trump squeaked his spending bill through the Senate last night with the casting vote of his VP. Three Senators voted against it. Many more had threatened to vote against it but were either won round or scared into it. Elon Musk says it will bankrupt America and wants to take the political fight to any vulnerable Senator who disagrees. Would he really start his own political party? And who would Re
Mamdani for Mayor? How a New York race reset the Democrats
Zohran Mamdani is just 33 years old. His victory over (tarnished) Democrat royalty Andrew Cuomo for the New York mayoral primaries is exciting a lot of younger folk. Is his pitch a potential blueprint for how democrats start to win again? Or was he just running against a terrible candidate? Later, strategist Doug Heye about how traditional republicans feel now about Trump's foreign policy.The News
Can the federal government survive President Trump?
Michael Lewis, author of The Big Short and Who is Government, joins Emily in the studio to talk about whether American's have fallen out of love with their government, and what happens when you dismantle it? The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/
Steve Bannon on LA raids, Elon Musk and tax cuts for billionaires
As tensions in LA spills out, President Trump is sending the armed forces onto the streets of the city. It's against the wishes of California's governor, who has warned that "democracy is under assault". Jon an Emily are joined by the architect of Trump's 2016 victory and host of host of the War Rooms, Steve Bannon.Is Trump enacting the mass deportation he promised? Or is he manufacturing a crisis
Trump's Big, Beautiful, Disgusting Abomination (Bill)
For months, Donald Trump has been heralding his "Big, Beautiful" spending bill - a key piece of his agenda, containing tax cuts for the rich and benefits cuts for the vulnerable. It will also add trillions to America's debt - to the point that some are now sounding the alarm, warning of a "debt bomb" about to hit the US economy. What the White House didn't bet on was that one of those leading crit
Why does Trump want to tear down Harvard?
Not content with demanding government oversight of Harvard's teaching and appointments, Donald Trump has directed his government to cease all federal funding of America's most prestigious university. And in a wider blow to academia, US embassies around the world have been ordered to suspend scheduling appointments for student visas. Social media vetting will be stepped up for those hoping to step
Joe Biden and the cancer cover-up conspiracy
Gone are the days when a presidential cancer diagnosis would be greeted with kind words and warm wishes. It took less than 24 hours for the White House administration to try and turn the illness into the latest smoking gun on what Biden had or hadn’t told the public whilst he was president. But should the Democrats take some blame for what’s happening now? We talk to the former Biden policy advise
Plane stupid: why MAGA loyalists hate Trump's Qatari gift
Donald Trump's trip to the Gulf should have been accompanied by glowing headlines and fawning Fox coverage about the hundreds of billions of dollars secured in fresh investment into America from allies in the region. But there's one deal in particular that has riled friends and foes of the President: a $400m jet being gifted to Trump by Qatar. He's said he would be "stupid" to turn down the offer
Is Trump about to ditch his tariff fiasco?
Canada's Prime Minister Carney has been in the White House explaining to President Trump why he can’t just claim Canada as a 51st state. Trump still likes to think he can. Meanwhile, Trump has accused America's closest trading partner of “ripping off“ his country, while Canada's PM has called Trump “transformational“ and left it at that. So has Carney's election victory actually changed anything?T
How to lose friends and alienate people (in 100 days)
Has Donald Trump irrevocably reordered America's place in the world? He may have only just marked his first 100 days back in the White House, but in that time President Trump has confronted his allies, courted adversaries, and taken a sledgehammer to the world order as we knew it. Has he redrawn our geopolitics in a way that has moved America's traditional partners away from America - and what doe
Has Trump's Pentagon “trial run“ blown up?
It's not the first time America's Defense Secretary has leaked Pentagon battle plans. Last month he shared details of a strike attack against the Houthis with an Atlantic journalist by mistake. This time another Signal group has been discovered with sensitive contents - this time including his wife, brother and...his lawyer. So why hasn't he been fired? And is Pete Hegseth proving too chaotic even
Trump defies the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has ruled that Donald Trump's administration must "facilitate" the return of an El Salvadorian national deported to his home country in an "administrative error". Kilmar Abrego Garcia fled to the US as a teenager to escape gang violence and was protected from deportation by an immigration judge in 2019. He has no criminal conviction. But the Trump administration seems to be
Will Trump tariffs tear MAGA apart?
160 years ago today, Ulysses Grant led the Union army to victory in America's civil war. The 2025 American civil war is shaping up to be less bloody - but still brutal. How long are Trump's followers going to turn a blind eye to the economic mayhem he’s inflicting on them? And can the Democrats find six Republicans to vote with them to stop the chaos? We talk to the Congressman leading the charge,
Joe Rogan slams Trump's “horrific” deportation mistakes
The Trump administration admits it made an error when it seized a Maryland man picking up his child from school and accidentally deported him to El Salvador - believing he was a criminal gang member. Trump's press secretary has now described it as a "clerical error" but they can’t get him home. What’s going on in America? Even Joe Rogan is appalled. Is anyone counting how many other citizens are b
Is MAGA coming for Greenland?
JD Vance has decided overnight to join his wife Usha on her trip to Greenland. No one knows who invited him. Or whether he was invited. Or if its a formal state visit. Or just a trip to the US airbase. But the Danish Prime minister has called the trip an unacceptable pressure. Vance insists it's about protecting Greenland's security. But it feels kinda threatening. We speak to an old friend of JD
Trump goes to war with the law
The chief justice of the US Supreme Court has issued a stinging rebuke to Donald Trump's demand to impeach a judge who ruled against his administration's controversial deportation of migrants.Judge James Boasberg ordered a stop to the transfer of accused gang members to El Salvador. That ruling that was ignored, and Trump branded him a "troublemaker and agitator" who should be removed. In a rare s
Trump puts the ball in Putin’s court
The origins of a peace deal have emerged in Saudi Arabia. There’s just one problem: whilst Zelensky is offering to sign up, there’s no word from Putin. How does a 30 day ceasefire work if the aggressor isn’t on board? And why is Trump convinced he will be? Later, presidency or shopping channel? Why is Trump flogging Teslas on the White House lawn?Editor: Tom HughesExecutive Producer: Louis Degenha
Trump turns congress into a MAGA rally
Trump promised his state of the Union speech would be BiG. He meant Long. It was 99 minutes. We watched so you didn’t have to. Today, we bring you the high lights and low points. And we speak to the man who would now be Secretary of State - if Kamala Harris had won the 2024 election. How does that feel up close?Tickets to The News Agents Live On Stage with HSBC UK are now on sale! You can get your
Trump’s Gaza Fantasyland
Trump has reimagined Gaza in an AI video as a gold embossed beach resort. He’s fired the head of the army for being 'woke'. He’s banned the Associated Press from his press room. And his mate Elon Musk is calling on all federal employees to report each other if they don’t get with the MAGA plan. Kurt Anderson wrote about Americas addiction to fantasy a decade ago - before Trump. He's with us and de
What does Trump really want from Putin?
In a remarkable and rapid rapprochement, Donald Trump's Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been in Riyadh meeting a Russian delegation to kick off talks about a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine. Who's not at the talks? Ukraine - or any other European leader. Is Russia calling the shots? And why is President Trump so happy to push ahead engaging with Moscow even when it is leaving America's alli
Elon Musk in the Oval Office
Elon Musk has been holding court in the Oval Office. With Donald Trump by his side and his own toddler on his shoulders, he spoke to a press pack - justifying the gutting of federal agencies, DOGE plans to revolutionise government, and the mistakes he admits they’ve made along the way. Meanwhile, Trump has called for a reigning in of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act so that American businesses ca
Why is Trump purging the FBI?
In a week that’s seen a trade war come and go, an entire US government department frozen, and thousands of justice officials fired from their jobs at the FBI and DOJ, we start by asking if anyone is still prepared to stop Donald Trump amassing inordinate amounts of personal power? Why has any resistance left the Senate Republicans? Have the Democrats recovered their voice? We speak to Chris Cilliz
Will a vaccine sceptic become America's next Health Secretary?
The last living child of JFK, Caroline Kennedy, has dramatically come forward to warn of the dangers her cousin poses to America if he’s confirmed as health secretary. Will any Republican be prepared to go against Trump‘s wishes and try to prevent Robert F. Kennedy Jr's appointment? And why is the media now reshaping itself around Trump when so many outlets chose to confront him in his first presi
Have Trump's critics lost their voice?
The Bishop of Washington is one of the few voices this week to have pushed back against Donald Trump's policies as he swept into office. She did so publicly, in strong terms, and in a church. The Trump family were not impressed - and spewed vitriol at her online. Will she pay a price for standing up? We speak to Mark Landler, London bureau chief at the New York Times, about what is different this
Women, woke and drink: meet the man Donald Trump backs to lead US Defence
Pete Hegseth is a Fox News anchor now hoping to lead the US military. He’s Donald Trump pick to be Secretary of Defence. Leaving aside the allegations of sexual assault and work place drunkenness - which he denies - and the profound lack of experience, does he have what it takes? And will he get through his senate confirmation? Later, a life long friend of Joe Biden tells us why the President stil
12 days to Trump
Why does it already feel as if Trump is President? Last night, he gave an hour long press conference at Mar-a-Lago and we suddenly remembered what it's going to be like. On the bingo card: Greenland, Canada, Panama Canal, and the January 6th protesters. Little mention of either the cost of living or immigration but hey, early days. On today's episode we hear from two sides of the Republican party
Will the media stand up to Trump 2.0?
In today's episode we have a Newsagents - Ruthie's Table 4 mash up. We’ve been chatting to Bill Clinton's strategist and Democratic supremo James Carville at the River cafe with Ruthie Rogers. What should Democrats have done differently? What was Joe Biden's mistake? And what’s the way back? But first, we kick off with the settlement ABC News just made to Donald Trump of 15 million dollars after h
