logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
34m 27s

Has American politics been taken over by...

GLOBAL
About this episode

Two days after former president Donald Trump claimed immigrants are eating cats and dogs, and babies are being executed after birth, Jon and Lewis discuss how deep-rooted conspiracy theories have become in American politics.

They're joined in the studio by Gabriel Gatehouse, whose book 'The Coming Storm' delves deep into the world of conspiracy, to find out just how much it is dominating American political discourse.

So why is America so pre-disposed to conspiracy? How will it affect the election? And just how much is it tearing American society apart?

Editor: Tom Hughes

Producer: Natalie Indge

Digital Editor: Michaela Walters

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal

Digital Journalists: Michael Baggs & Jacob Paul

Don’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:

https://linktr.ee/thenewsagents

You can listen to this episode on Alexa - just say "Alexa, ask Global Player to play The News Agents"

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

https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agents

Up next
Today
Why has Elon Musk's AI chatbot started imitating Hitler?
Last night on X, Elon Musk's AI chatbot - Grok - started imitating Hitler in its responses to user questions. Was this intentional? Did Musk really command his AI tool to spew out anti-semitic takes? And will this lead to any sort of regulation over AI?Later, we discuss the upcom ... Show More
35m 54s
Yesterday
Would a wealth tax save Rachel Reeves?
The government has studiously avoided ruling out a wealth tax this week. Minister after minister has refused to knock down the suggestion, despite the Chancellor having dismissed the idea as recently as April. So what's changed? Could a levy on wealthy individuals be on the cards ... Show More
38m 48s
Jul 7
Does the government want to sack the BBC boss?
Labour used to be the party that leapt to the defence of the BBC. So why was the Culture Secretary this weekend calling for heads to roll, saying she was "exasperated" at the broadcaster, and refusing to express confidence its director general Tim Davie? The BBC has admitted to f ... Show More
51m 24s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
Donald Trump: The Sequel - The News Agents
It's still early in Washington DC but in a remarkable and unprecedented night Donald Trump is on the verge of the greatest comeback in political history. He's on course to pick up the key swing states he needs to secure a return to the White House. How has he managed it? And what ... Show More
18m 22s
Sep 2024
Will the assassination attempts decide the election?
How to make sense of not one but two assassination attempts in as many months on a former president? Donald Trump says it's all down to the language that Kamala Harris and the Democrats are using. JD Vance has just called her 'the most fraudulent person to run for president'. Is ... Show More
33 m
Nov 2024
Hope and fear as America heads to the polls - who will win? - The News Agents
The stakes could hardly be higher as US voters turn out to vote for the next President. Is it the White House or the jailhouse for Donald Trump? Could America be on the cusp of its first female POTUS? The country is on a knife edge, security barricades are going up, and once agai ... Show More
27m 21s
Sep 2024
The US Election in Conspiracyland
Why Do You Hate Me? USA x The Coming Storm x Americast. A special episode on how social media, and conspiracy theories, are directly impacting the U.S. election in a new way. Who are the Americans sharing their theories online, and what is the real world impact on the election an ... Show More
33m 11s
Nov 2024
Where do the Democrats go now?
Three weeks on from Donald Trump's historic comeback, the clamour for answers about where it all went wrong within the Democrat party is reaching a fever pitch. Kamala Harris has released a message to supporters urging them not to let anyone 'take their power' - but with her part ... Show More
34m 9s
Jul 2024
Trump shot: What does it mean for the election? - The News Agents
Hours after Presidential candidate Donald Trump was shot at a rally in Pennsylvania, Jon and Lewis take a look at how the assassination attempt will impact the election in November.Will it strengthen Trump's campaign? And does it mean Joe Biden will now definitely stand against h ... Show More
26m 18s
Sep 2024
Profile: Who is Donald Trump? (Part 2… The Politician)
Inside Trump’s White HouseLONG After one of the greatest political surprises in American political history, Donald Trump’s 2016 victory gave way to a controversial and consequential presidency. We look back on the four years that were defined by staff fallouts, COVID, and an atte ... Show More
30m 53s
Apr 7
Americanswers! Which news stories are being overshadowed by Trump's tariffs?
The first US measles death in a decade, mass protests against Trump and El Salvador’s mega-jail…In today’s Q&A Anthony, Justin and Mariana sign the podcasting equivalent of an executive order, putting a one-episode exemption on tariffs to focus on the other stories that may have ... Show More
30m 24s
May 8
Who’s the real winner from the UK’s trade deal with the US?
At a press conference inside the Oval Office on Thursday, Donald Trump - with the British PM Keir Starmer on the phone - announced changes to tariffs which included steel, aluminium and car exports. In return, the UK government made concessions on imports of ethanol and American ... Show More
30m 30s
Jan 2025
Is Trump’s ‘flood the media’ strategy working?
With daily announcements, executive orders and press conferences from Trump’s presidency in its first fortnight, how should we be navigating the daily torrent of news? Americast examines the deliberate strategy by the White House (also used in Trump’s first presidency) to “flood ... Show More
33m 25s