logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2024
31m 42s

Americanswers… on 5 Live! Why has Melani...

BBC News
About this episode

Americast is back on BBC Radio 5 Live! The whole team assembled to join Matt Chorley to answer your questions live on air.

With almost four weeks until the election, Melania Trump has entered the campaign with the release of snippets from her upcoming memoir in which she forcefully defends abortion rights. Does this present a problem for her husband, as he tries to win over voters who are pro-choice?

We unpack how Kamala Harris has changed the Democrat's social media strategy and how different it is covering an election in the US compared to the UK.

And, a caller offers Justin a thoughtful gift...

This episode was made by George Dabby with Catherine Fusillo. 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

Up next
Aug 22
Is Donald Trump losing his Latino base?
One of the biggest stories of last year’s presidential election was Donald Trump’s success with Latino voters which led him to win crucial swing states in the battle for the White House.While the Democrats still won the popular vote nationwide, there was no question that Trump’s ... Show More
27m 51s
Aug 20
Americanswers! Has Donald Trump really stopped six (or seven) wars?
Fresh off the back of Monday’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S could offer Ukraine some form of security guarantee in the event of a peace deal with Russia. While the details of any security guarantee are yet to be confirmed, it has prompt ... Show More
34m 38s
Aug 18
What did Trump offer Zelensky after their Oval Office meeting?
Straight off the back of the Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump hosted Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House as he pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine.The last time they met in the Oval Office, it ended in an argument in front of the world's media. It was a frien ... Show More
29m 13s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2024
Are the Democrats really inciting violence against Donald Trump?
Donald Trump has blamed Kamala Harris and Joe Biden's rhetoric for the latest assassination attempt, calling them 'Marxist communists'. So how is the rhetoric changing in American politics? And is political violence on the edge of tipping over again?Later, Keir Starmer is cosying ... Show More
28m 6s
Aug 5
Live at Edinburgh Fringe: Why is Trump talking about actress Sydney Sweeney?
Today, Newscast was recorded at the Edinburgh Fringe in front of a live audience.Adam was joined by Americast’s Sarah Smith and friend of the podcast James Cook to discuss all things Trump. They chat about what it’s like being part of the President’s press pack, why Sydney Sweene ... Show More
52m 30s
Mar 2025
The Week: NHS Reforms, Benefit Battles and Tariff Tactics
Today, Adam, Vicki, Faisal and Nick discuss Starmer’s attempts to speed up government, a possible fight over benefit changes and whether the PM is going to push back more on President Trump. You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask B ... Show More
29m 54s
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
Mar 2025
Could Zelensky Still do a Deal With Trump?
Today, in this extra episode, Laura and Paddy get back together to talk after Laura met President Zelensky.He told her, and a group of other journalists, that he is still "ready to sign" a US-Ukraine minerals deal after leaving the White House without it being agreed.Laura explai ... Show More
17m 3s
Sep 2024
Why has Trump just admitted he interfered with the last election?
Trump has been having what our grandmother's mght once have called 'a funny turn'. He keeps saying things out loud he then regrets. He admitted this week he had both lost the last election and tried to interfere with the result. Then he argued against the 6 week abortion ban in F ... Show More
32m 58s
Jul 2024
How is Trump coping with being called ‘weird’?
Kamala Harris has challenged Trump to a debate in the most ‘brat‘ way possible. She’s also introduced a new vibe into the Democrat campaign which involves calling the former president ‘a bit weird’. Is it unsettling Trump? Is it emasculating him? And what form will his response t ... Show More
31m 45s
Aug 2024
88. Bush and Iraq, being J.D. Vance’s boss, and why Trump loses (David Frum)
What was George W Bush like behind closed doors? Why did Trump really choose ‘never-Trump guy’ JD Vance as his running mate? How can Kamala Harris win the election? Rory and Alastair are joined by George W Bush's former speech writer and political commentator David Frum to discus ... Show More
1h 11m
Apr 2025
The Week: Trump’s Tariffs
Adam, Chris, Alex and Gary discuss what the impact of President Trump’s tariffs could be on the UK. What it means for the unique case of Northern Ireland? And, what the American people make of it all? You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just ... Show More
30m 1s
Mar 2025
Why Would Justin Welby Forgive a Serial Child Abuser?
Today, Laura, Paddy and Henry discuss Justin Welby’s first interview since resigning as Archbishop of Canterbury last year. He said he forgave the serial abuser John Smyth who was at the heart of the scandal that led to his resignation. In 2024 a damning review found that Welby " ... Show More
30m 8s