logo
episode-header-image
Sep 22
32m 50s

MAGA’s “righteous fury” at Charlie Kirk’...

BBC News
About this episode

Justin and Anthony unpack the memorial service held yesterday in Glendale, Arizona for the conservative activist, Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead earlier this month.

Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, was given a standing ovation for forgiving the man who shot her husband, delivering an emotional and deeply religious speech where she called for people to “choose Christ” and take up her husband’s mission. In this episode, the Americast team also look at whether MAGA politicians and officials will use Charlie Kirk’s assassination to intensify a religious war against the left to ignite a “spiritual revival”. We hear the views of Trump’s top policy adviser and Deputy Chief of Staff, Stephen Miller, who talks about the rise of a spiritual army, and JD Vance the Vice President hailing Kirk as a martyr. Has the Trump administration started a religious war against Democrats, and the left, in the name of Charlie Kirk?

HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • 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

This episode was made by Rufus Gray and Alix Pickles. The technical producer was Philip Bull. 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 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.

Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd

Up next
Yesterday
Americanswers… on 5 Live! Is Chicago really a ‘war zone’?
Donald Trump’s mission to target Democrat-led cities has expanded to Illinois after the Texan National Guard arrived on Tuesday at an army base near Chicago. Troops were sent with the blessing of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, prompting a furious response from Illinois Governor JB P ... Show More
28m 30s
Oct 6
Why is Trump blowing up Venezuelan "drug boats"?
In today’s episode, we look at some of the stories “under the radar”, away from the main news headlines in the United States. Why is the Trump administration blowing up boats which it says are carrying drugs from Venezuela to the United States? Donald Trump has described the late ... Show More
32m 22s
Oct 2
Will the Democrats’ shutdown gamble pay off?
The US federal government has shut down for the first time since 2018, and with it the suspension of all non-essential services and the threat of mass firings among federal workers. The shutdown comes after Congress failed to reach an agreement on future spending plans, leading t ... Show More
36m 56s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 11
What Charlie Kirk’s death says about political division in the US
Shot while answering a question about mass shootings, outspoken gun-rights advocate and conservative activist Charlie Kirk was killed on a university campus. What does this moment signal for escalating political violence and the state of US politics? In this episode: Dr. Matthew ... Show More
22m 58s
Apr 2025
Old Newscast: The Good Friday Agreement, 1998 (Part 2)
Today, we’re going to look back at the impact after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.It was the deal that brought an end to 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland, known as the Troubles - and cost the lives of more than 3,500. Adam is joined by Nick Watt, Newsnight’s po ... Show More
37m 39s
Sep 22
Charlie Kirk’s Politically Charged Memorial
Conservatives from around the country flocked to Arizona on Sunday to memorialize the activist Charlie Kirk. The service included leaders from the highest levels of the U.S. government, including Vice President JD Vance and President Trump.Two clear strands emerged during the mem ... Show More
31m 20s
Sep 12
Why was Charlie Kirk such a big deal for young Americans?
On Wednesday 10 September Charlie Kirk was shot dead at a university campus in Utah. Charlie Kirk was a conservative activist who founded the student organisation, Turning Point USA. It aims to spread conservative ideas in liberal universities and now has chapters at more than 85 ... Show More
12m 43s
Sep 15
“They’ll Do It Again and AGAIN!” Charlie Kirk Debate Causes Guest Storm-Out
The assassination of Charlie Kirk has so far been anything but a unifying moment, from the sick celebrations, to some foreshadowing of vengeance and civil war. Kirk’s death was invoked by organizers of Saturday’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ march in London; a mass anti-immigration protes ... Show More
1h 25m
Sep 24
452. Question Time: America’s New Martyr and Westminster’s Hidden Spies
Is Charlie Kirk becoming America’s new martyr for the far right? How deep does Chinese spying go in Western politics? And, is Moldova the next target for Russian meddling? The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. The Rest Is Politics is powered by Fuse Energy. Fuse are giv ... Show More
50m 30s
Sep 11
The Assassination of Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk, the conservative organizer, activist and media mogul, died on Wednesday after being shot during an appearance at Utah Valley University.Mr. Kirk brought millions of young Americans in to the Republican Party, and to the ballot box for Donald Trump.Robert Draper, who ... Show More
37m 5s
Sep 4
Ronald Reagan: The Hollywood President (Part 1)
Ronald Reagan is one of the most mythologized figures in American politics, but how did an actor and former Democrat become the standard-bearer of conservatism? In this new series exclusively for Founding Members explore Reagan’s rise, legacy, and myth. Who was the real Ronald Re ... Show More
16m 13s
Sep 12
The Assassination of Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk, one of the most influential voices in the MAGA movement and the co-founder of Turning Point USA, is shot and killed during a speaking event in Utah. Jon and Dan react to the news and discuss the reactions from the left and right, and why we're seeing such a troublin ... Show More
1h 27m
Aug 22
MAHA Is a Bad Answer to a Good Question
“Make America Healthy Again” is a great idea — somebody should try it.A lot of the concerns animating the MAHA movement — chronic disease, the unhealthiness of the American diet, how profits warp our health care system — are serious issues. But Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hasn’t taken ... Show More
1h 22m