logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
31m 12s

Americanswers! Did Elon Musk make a Nazi...

BBC News
About this episode

After he declared that "America's sovereignty is under attack” in an executive order, reports suggest that Donald Trump could send thousands of troops to install barriers at the US border with Mexico. Are barriers the answer to stop illegal crossings?

President Trump has given his first broadcast interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News. In the interview he described the attacks on January 6 as “very minor incidents” and suggested Joe Biden should have pardoned himself before leaving office. But why has Trump issued a pardon to the founder of an illegal online drug marketplace?

And, Elon Musk’s controversial arm gesture continues to divide opinions as to its meaning. Some have insisted it was a Nazi salute, while Musk has said the comparisons to Hitler were “tired” and “dirty tricks”.

Americanswers is back for a special Q&A at the end of a momentous week…

HOSTS: • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent

This episode was made by George Dabby with Rufus Gray and Claire Betzer. 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

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
Apr 2025
Can Trump Force Zelensky To Do A Deal?
Today, Donald Trump took to Truth Social to accuse Zelensky of harming Ukraine peace negotiations following the Ukrainian president telling a news conference he would not recognise Crimea as Russian.Adam is joined by James Landale, diplomatic correspondent, and Sumi Somaskanda, B ... Show More
37m 6s
Apr 2025
Trump’s Tariffs: Is Globalisation Over?
Today, the Prime Minister has responded to Trump’s tariffs saying the government is ready to step in to protect the UK economy. Paddy’s away so Jeremy Vine makes a guest appearance to go through it all.They also discuss the Foreign Secretary David Lammy saying it’s unacceptable t ... Show More
22m 52s
Feb 2025
How Elon Musk Is Infiltrating Washington
Elon Musk and his team have taken a hacksaw to the federal bureaucracy one agency at a time, and the question has become whether he’s on a crusade that will leave the government paralyzed or deliver a shake-up it has needed for years.Jonathan Swan, a White House reporter for The ... Show More
32m 30s
Oct 2024
Is Elon Musk working for Donald Trump?
Elon Musk has linked up with Donald Trump on the campaign trail - visiting Butler Pennsylvania and speaking to the crowds on the very spot Trump was targeted by a sniper back in July. He's parroting the Trump lines - calling this the last election ever if Trump loses - and offeri ... Show More
37m 41s
Feb 2025
Is Germany about to cut ties with Trump's America?
It didn't take long for Germany's new Chancellor in waiting, Friedrich Merz, to make his presence felt across the Atlantic. Before the final ballots had even been counted in the German elections, Merz took to a television debate to warn that "after Donald Trump's remarks last wee ... Show More
35m 13s
Jul 31
Trump v Carney (Again)
Today, US President Donald Trump has said that Canada’s move to recognise a Palestinian state threatens a trade deal between the countries. The news comes as US special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, is meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel. Canada’s annou ... Show More
23m 11s
Jul 1
Steve Bannon’s Battle for the Soul of MAGA
Warning: This episode contains strong language.From the outside, the political movement created by Donald J. Trump has never seemed more empowered or invulnerable.But Steve Bannon, who was the first Trump administration’s chief strategist, sees threats and betrayals at almost eve ... Show More
33m 55s
Mar 2025
Live from the White House with Dr Sebastian Gorka
Sebastian Gorka is a British-Hungarian-American media host, commentator, and government official. He is currently serving as the Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism in the second Trump administration. Follow Seb on X: https://x.com/SebGorka ... Show More
50m 21s
Mar 2025
Trade Wars: EU Hits Back At Trump
Today, we look at responses and retaliations to President Trump’s universal tariffs on steel and aluminium. Adam is joined by Caitríona Perry, Chief Presenter BBC News in Washington, and Dharshini David, chief economics correspondent to discuss retaliatory tariffs from the EU and ... Show More
37m 27s
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