
Americast by BBC News
BBC News
Americast is the authoritative US news and politics podcast from the BBC. Each week we provide audiences with the best analysis from across the BBC, with on-the-ground observations and big picture insights about the stories which are defining America right now. The podcast is hosted by trusted BBC journalists including the BBC’s North America editor, Sarah Smith, BBC Radio 4 presenter, Justin Webb, the BBC’s disinformation and social media correspondent, Marianna Spring, and BBC North America correspondent, Anthony Zurcher. As well as political analysis, we also specialise in social media. Each week Marianna Spring brings listeners the latest updates from the BBC’s Undercover Voters, our award-winning investigation into the content that is recommended to US voters on social media. The team is also joined by special guests each week, like CNN anchor, Christiane Amanpour, Emmy Award-winning TV host, Rachel Maddow, and Succession actress, J Smith-Cameron. Podcasts are published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As well as being a podcast, we are also available every Friday on the World Service. Oh, and by the way, 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. Every Monday we answer your questions on Americanswers, with some help from special guests, including Miles Taylor, who was chief of staff at the Department for Homeland Security during the Trump presidency before becoming a whistleblower. Got a question or a comment? Get in touch with us on email at Americast@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.
Categories: News & Politics
Listen to the last episode:
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa went to the White House in hope of a ‘reset’ with the USA on trade and asylum laws. What he got was a choreographed presentation from Donald Trump with allegations of a white genocide taking place in South Africa, with stark parallels to the infamous Zelensky meeting in the Oval Office.
Justin, Anthony, and Sarah convene to check the fact on Trump’s assertions, and discuss why the confrontation might really be a message to his MAGA supporters.
Plus, Justin speaks to Robyn Cunrow, former CNN correspondent in Johannesburg and host of the Searching for America podcast, to find out more about the relationship between the US and South Africa.
HOSTS: - Justin Webb, Radio 4 Presenter - Sarah Smith, North America Editor - Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
GUEST: - Robyn Curnow, former CNN Africa correspondent
GET IN TOUCH: - Join our online community: https://discord.gg/qSrxqNcmRB - Send us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to +44 330 123 9480 - Email Americast@bbc.co.uk - Or use #Americast
This episode was made by George Dabby with Rufus Gray, 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 The Global Story, The Today Podcast, and of course Newscast and Ukrainecast. 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.
The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd The Today Podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm
Previous episodes
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426 - Why did Trump ambush the South African president? Thu, 22 May 2025
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425 - How will Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' change America? Wed, 21 May 2025
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424 - Americanswers! Why is Biden’s cancer diagnosis prompting new questions? Mon, 19 May 2025
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423 - We speak to CNN's Jake Tapper on the “cover-up” behind Joe Biden’s decline Sun, 18 May 2025
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422 - What is RFK doing for the health of Americans? Fri, 16 May 2025
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421 - Is Trump's free plane a gift too far for Republicans? Wed, 14 May 2025
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420 - Introducing... Diddy On Trial Tue, 13 May 2025
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419 - Americanswers... on 5 Live! Has China won its trade war with Trump? Mon, 12 May 2025
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418 - We Speak To Prof Joseph Stiglitz (Nobel Laureate) On The UK/US Trade Deal… Fri, 09 May 2025
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417 - Who’s the real winner from the UK’s trade deal with the US? Thu, 08 May 2025
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416 - Joe Biden's BBC Interview Wed, 07 May 2025
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415 - Americanswers... on 5 Live! Are the US and Canada friends again? Wed, 07 May 2025
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414 - Is Donald Trump losing public support? Fri, 02 May 2025
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413 - 100 Days of Trump (Part 5)… Has He Redefined What It Means To Be President? Tue, 29 Apr 2025
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412 - 100 Days of Trump (Part 4)… Has Elon Musk Changed Government Forever? Tue, 29 Apr 2025
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411 - 100 Days of Trump (Part 3)… Who Is Welcome in America, Now? Tue, 29 Apr 2025
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410 - 100 Days of Trump (Part 2)… What Has He Done to the US Economy? Tue, 29 Apr 2025
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409 - 100 Days of Trump (Part 1)… Is Trump winning his war on woke? Tue, 29 Apr 2025
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408 - Americanswers… on 5 Live! Is the Trump/Zelensky relationship back on track? Mon, 28 Apr 2025
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407 - Signal chats, leaks, and sackings... What's going on in the Pentagon? Thu, 24 Apr 2025
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406 - Americanswers…on 5 Live! Is Elon Musk being forced out of the White House? Wed, 23 Apr 2025
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405 - How the ‘world’s coolest dictator’ is helping Trump Thu, 17 Apr 2025
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404 - Can Harvard afford to fight Trump? Wed, 16 Apr 2025
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403 - Americanswers! Does Trump want to bring back the man his administration mistakenly deported? Mon, 14 Apr 2025
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402 - Trump's Tariffs... Chaos or a cunning plan? Thu, 10 Apr 2025
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401 - Trump’s Tariffs... Wed, 09 Apr 2025
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400 - Americanswers! Which news stories are being overshadowed by Trump's tariffs? Mon, 07 Apr 2025
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399 - Is Elon Musk leaving the White House? Fri, 04 Apr 2025
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398 - Will Trump’s tariffs start a global trade war? Thu, 03 Apr 2025
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397 - Americanswers…on 5 Live! Could Trump run for a third term? Mon, 31 Mar 2025
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396 - Will US-Canada relations ever be the same again? Fri, 28 Mar 2025
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395 - We speak to the journalist behind Signalgate Thu, 27 Mar 2025
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394 - Can Donald Trump shrug off the Signal chat leak? Wed, 26 Mar 2025
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393 - Americanswers… on 5 Live! Why does Trump want to shut down the Education Department? Mon, 24 Mar 2025
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392 - The Trump Comeback... Michael Wolff’s Inside Story Fri, 21 Mar 2025
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391 - Is Donald Trump ready to defy the courts? Wed, 19 Mar 2025
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390 - Americanswers…on 5 Live! Is Trump standing up to Putin? Mon, 17 Mar 2025
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389 - Where do the Democrats go from here? Fri, 14 Mar 2025
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388 - Can Donald Trump afford a trade war with Canada? Wed, 12 Mar 2025
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387 - Americanswers…on 5 Live! Is Trump worried about the US economy? Mon, 10 Mar 2025
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386 - How should Trump deal with Putin? Thu, 06 Mar 2025
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385 - Trump’s GREAT BIG LONG Speech Wed, 05 Mar 2025
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384 - Americanswers... on 5 Live! Did Trump ambush Zelensky? Mon, 03 Mar 2025
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383 - Who’s Running America… Trump’s Health Secretary (RFK Jr) Sun, 02 Mar 2025
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382 - Ukrainecast: Trump and Zelensky clash in the Oval Office Fri, 28 Feb 2025
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381 - Did Starmer win over Trump at the White House? Fri, 28 Feb 2025
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380 - Why is Trump sharing an AI video of Gaza? Wed, 26 Feb 2025
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379 - Americanswers... on 5 Live! What's Elon Musk's latest threat to federal workers? Mon, 24 Feb 2025
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378 - Who’s Running America… Trump’s Policy Chief (Stephen Miller) Sun, 23 Feb 2025
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377 - How far away is a Ukraine peace deal? Fri, 21 Feb 2025