Jon Sopel

This discussion features Jon Sopel, former BBC North America editor; Clay Travis, founder of Outkick; Ana Kasparian from The Young Turks; Michael Blake, ex-Obama aide; and conservative commentator Shabbos Kestenbaum. They dive into Trump's potential lawsuit against the BBC over alleged editing breaches, the split within MAGA media sparked by Tucker Carlson's controversial interview with Nick Fuentes, and the implications of Zohran Mamdani's mayoral victory in NYC. The panel debates media bias, the platforming of extremists, and the future of the Democratic Party.

Matt Rowe, Lloyds Banking Group security chief, talks operational security and protecting financial infrastructure. Dimple Ahluwalia, IBM Cyberdefend leader, covers cybersecurity strategy, AI and quantum readiness. Jon Sopel, veteran journalist, brings political and societal perspective. They discuss human error, AI as a defensive tool, protecting critical infrastructure, and the geopolitics of cyber resilience.

Rosalind Dixon, law professor and founder of the Resilient Democracy Lab; Nick Bryant, seasoned broadcaster and interviewer; Jon Sopel, veteran political journalist and author. They debate declining trust in institutions. They explore social media’s outrage machine, the appeal of outsiders, how crises fueled populism, risks to elections and which institutional features might protect democracy.

Jamie Shrive, director at Victim Focus and researcher at King’s College, talks about the risks of public hearings for survivors. Jon Sopel, senior journalist reporting from Washington, reflects on US politics and Melania Trump’s surprise statement. Ayala Panievsky, presidential fellow and Israeli politics expert, analyzes Netanyahu’s domestic strategy and the push to continue strikes in Lebanon. Multiple short conversations explore motives, timing and political consequence.

Jon Sopel, former BBC North America editor and long-serving international correspondent, shares his lifelong love of cricket and vivid memories from Lord's. He recalls chaotic T20 scenes in India, reporting from tsunami-hit Galle, and standing up to Trump in White House briefings. He also reflects on leaving the BBC, writing about America, and the impact of social media on political polarization.