Americast podcast artwork
Podcast

Americast

by BBC News

Not on the United States charts we track today.

If you like Americast, try…

Latest episodes

  • We speak to Hasan Piker... Is he a liability for the dems?

    October 23, 2026 · 47 min

    Are Hasan Piker’s controversial views a help or a hindrance for the Democrats this midterms? He’s arguably America’s most high-profile left-wing influencer but he’s not loved by all Democrats. He made his name streaming on Twitch and…

  • Can Trump’s $400 million save Republicans at the midterms?

    October 21, 2026 · 27 min

    With early voting already underway across several states in America, Republicans have just two weeks to land their closing arguments. The US president says he will be spending over $400 million on Republican candidates by election day, but…

  • Americanswers! How far will Trump go in siding with Putin against Ukraine?

    October 19, 2026 · 33 min

    What happens to Donald Trump’s power if the Democrats take back Congress in the midterms? With just over two weeks to go, Sarah, Anthony and Marianna are back with Matt Chorley to answer your questions. What would a Democratic House and…

  • Are Latino voters turning on Trump?

    October 15, 2026 · 37 min

    Latino voters could decide which party controls Congress after November’s midterm elections. Two years ago, 48% of them voted for Donald Trump, a record for a Republican presidential candidate. But with fuel prices still high, and his…

  • Your US Midterm Election Guide (A Global News Podcast collab)

    October 14, 2026 · 31 min

    What happens if Donald Trump loses the midterms, and why does this election matter for Republicans and Democrats? In this episode, Anthony and Sumi de-jargon and explain some of the basics in this November’s election, unpicking key terms…

Show 7 more episodesShow fewer episodes
  • Americanswers! Will Trump really livestream a firing squad execution?

    October 12, 2026 · 29 min

    How has US defence secretary Pete Hegseth justified the decision to livestream the execution of former US soldier, Nidal Hassan by firing squad at the Fort Hood military base - where he killed 13 unarmed US soldiers - in 2009? Justin…

  • Are the Democrats heading for a midterms landslide?

    October 9, 2026 · 39 min

    How confident should Democrats be about surprise new polling which puts them ahead in deep Republican territory? In states such as Kansas which haven’t elected a Democratic senator since 1932, Democrat candidates are doing well - why is…

  • Did Trump really say Iran could “take out” Los Angeles?

    October 7, 2026 · 26 min

    The president has started a war of words with California Governor Gavin Newsom after saying that Iran could “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego. Trump made the comments during his midterms campaign tour, telling the audience it would be…

  • Americanswers…Will Christa Pike still face the death penalty after surviving two lethal injection doses?

    October 5, 2026 · 37 min

    How has the botched execution of a woman convicted of murder in Tennessee 30 years ago prompted a debate about the death penalty in the US? Marianna, Sumi and Anthony answer your questions on the case of Christa Pike, which has led to the…

  • Can the Democratic Socialists of America win over voters?

    October 2, 2026 · 32 min

    Abolish ICE? Abolish borders, No prisons? The co-chair of the DSA speaks to us about what the party really stands for and whether they can persuade undecided Americans to vote for them. The Democratic Socialists of America can count some…

  • Do Republicans need to ditch Trump before the midterms?

    September 30, 2026 · 30 min

    Is Donald Trump now more of an electoral hindrance than a help, even in his home state of Florida, where one candidate has talked down his links with the US president. In this episode, we hear Anthony’s reporting from Florida where the…

  • Americanswers! Why don't the Democrats have a new leader yet?

    September 28, 2026 · 29 min

    Ahead of November’s midterm elections, are we any closer to knowing who might lead the Democrats into the 2028 presidential election? Americanswers is back answering your questions and this week we’re looking ahead at a number of important…

Full episode archive on Apple Podcasts →

About the show

Insight and analysis on what's happening inside Donald Trump's White House. Americast is the authoritative US news and politics podcast from the BBC. Each week we provide audiences with the best analysis from across the BBC, with on-the-ground observations and big picture insights about the stories which are defining America right now. The podcast is hosted by trusted BBC journalists including the BBC’s North America editor, Sarah Smith, BBC Radio 4 presenter, Justin Webb, the BBC’s social media investigation correspondent, Marianna Spring, and BBC North America correspondent, Anthony Zurcher. As well as political analysis, we also specialise in social media. Each week Marianna Spring brings listeners the latest updates from the BBC’s Undercover Voters, our award-winning investigation into the content that is recommended to US voters on social media. The team is also joined by special guests each week, like CNN anchor, Christiane Amanpour, Emmy Award-winning TV host, Rachel Maddow, and Succession actress, J Smith-Cameron. Podcasts are published every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As well as being a podcast, we are also available every Friday on BBC Radio 4 and every Saturday on the BBC World Service. Oh, and 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. Every Monday we answer your questions on Americanswers, with some help from our friends, including BBC Radio 5 Live's Matt Chorley. Got a question or a comment? Get in touch with us on email at Americast@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp on +44 330 123 9480.