Americast

Love is in the air…or is it? Vladimir Putin expressed his preference for the next American president on Valentine’s Day - but critics suspect there might be more to his endorsement than meets the eye. His comments come in the wake of Donald Trump’s disparaging declaration against NATO and that Russia should “do whatever the hell they want” to countries that don't pay up.And after our emergency episode on Special Counsel Robert Hur’s report on Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents, we respond to your questions about how, if at all, President Biden could be removed from office.HOSTS: • Sarah Smith, North America editor • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Marianna Spring, disinformation and social media correspondent • Anthony Zurcher, North America 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 Find out more about our award-winning “undercover voters” here: bbc.in/3lFddSF. US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s new BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155 This episode was made by George Dabby with Rufus Gray, Catherine Fusillo, and Claire Betzer. The technical producer was Philip Bull. The series producer is George Dabby. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

Our colleagues on The Global Story made this episode on a subject we know is close to many Americaster's hearts. So we thought we'd put it in your feeds.It's presented by Europe editor Katya Adler. To look at Taylor Swift's potential political sway, she's joined by North America business correspondent Erin Delmore.Subscribe to The Global Story by searching for The Global Story on BBC Sounds.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 #AmericastUS Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s new BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155This podcast was made by Alice Aylett Roberts, Richard Moran and Emilia Jansson. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The assistant editor is Sergi Forcada Freixas and the senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

A bombshell report from Special Counsel Robert Hur has raised serious questions about President Joe Biden's memory, which the White House has been quick to rebuff. The report criticised the president for retaining classified information but rejected prosecution, arguing that Biden would likely present himself at trial as "a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory".Americast dissects the details of this breaking story with Sarah Baxter, Director of the Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting and a former US correspondent.And as Tucker Carlson becomes the first Western journalist to sit down one-on-one with Vladimir Putin since the invasion of Ukraine, Justin and Anthony give their instant reaction to the interview as it drops.HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Anthony Zurcher, North America correspondent GUEST: • Sarah Baxter, Director of Marie Colvin Center for International Reporting in New YorkGET 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 US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s new BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155 This episode was made by George Dabby, Rufus Gray, Catherine Fusillo, and Claire Betzer. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is George Dabby. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

Nikki Haley and Sean Spicer discuss Trump's lead in the New Hampshire primary and Haley's determination to fight on. They analyze the confusion between Biden and Haley, spread of misinformation on social media, and challenges for third-party candidates. The podcast explores the state of the nomination process and potential scenarios for replacing Biden.

The world waits to see how the United States will retaliate to a drone strike that killed three American troops in Jordan, after an Iran-backed militia group claimed responsibility for the attack.Christiane Amanpour, the Iranian-British Chief International Anchor for CNN, is our star guest this week. We hear why Joe Biden now walks a tightrope between avoiding escalation in the Middle East, and projecting strength at home - all while Donald Trump looks on from the campaign trail.Also on the podcast, Marianna tells us about her new BBC Radio 4 podcast series called 'Why Do You Hate Me?'She’s been speaking to a survivor of the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in American history, who ended up believing online conspiracy theories that the entire event was a government plot. HOSTS: • Sarah Smith, North America editor • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Marianna Spring, disinformation and social media correspondent • Anthony Zurcher, North America correspondent GUEST: Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Anchor for CNNGET 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 Find out more about our award-winning “undercover voters” here: bbc.in/3lFddSF. US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s new BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155 Listen to 'Why Do You Hate Me?' on BBC Sounds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0h46gmnThis episode was made by George Dabby with Catherine Fusillo, Rufus Gray, and Claire Betzer. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is George Dabby. The senior news editor is Jonathan Aspinwall.

Republican candidates prepare for the primary showdown in New Hampshire. Democrats infighting after Biden's idea to bump the state from its primary calendar slot. Can Trump choose his child as a running mate? Understanding Trump supporters. The impact of Dean Phillips running against Joe Biden.

The podcast discusses the Iowa caucus and Trump's landslide victory. They analyze Trump's rivals Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley. They interview Frank Luntz and Eric Trump. They also discuss the narrowing race in Iowa, the political consequences of Trump's legal troubles, AI-generated content, and the importance of respectful conversations in American politics.

Anthony Blinken, former United States Permanent Representative to NATO, joins the hosts to discuss brokering peace in the Middle East amid attacks by Houthi rebels. They also explore the significance of the Iowa caucus, America's foreign policy in the Middle East, the impact of disinformation on Taiwan's elections, and the communication breakdown between the Pentagon and White House.

Former US presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump are named in court papers regarding their connections to Jeffrey Epstein. The team discusses the revelations and the story's impact on social media. Additionally, the controversy surrounding Harvard University president Claudine Gay's resignation is explored. The chapter also discusses the primary system in the US and the exclusion of Donald Trump from state ballots.

Heather Cox Richardson, historian and author, joins Americast to discuss the past, present, and future of US politics. They delve into the impact of the January 6th attack on American democracy, the power of social media bosses, Taylor Swift's storytelling, and the upcoming event in Iowa.