Americast

BBC Radio

The authoritative twice-weekly US news and politics podcast from BBC News, Americast investigates the social and cultural issues that define America today.

Is Joe Biden too old to win another go in the White House? What does Donald Trump’s latest criminal charge mean for the Republican campaign? And why have issues such as LGBT rights, global warming and the war effort in Ukraine become so divisive across the US political spectrum? From foreign policy to pop culture, Americast keeps you up to date and in the know about the stories that matter with on-the-ground insights from right across the US.

Americast is hosted by trusted journalists including the BBC’s North America editor Sarah Smith, North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher, presenter Justin Webb, and disinformation and social media correspondent, Marianna Spring. Joined by special guests each week such as former chief medical adviser to the president, Dr Anthony Fauci, former FBI director James Comey, CNN anchor and author Jake Tapper, Succession actress J Smith-Cameron, and Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire from podcast RedHanded, they look at America through an international lens, trying to make sense of the increasingly polarised political debate.

Each week on Americast, Marianna Spring also brings listeners the latest update on BBC Undercover Voters, the award-winning investigation into the content that is recommended to US voters on social media. Marianna has created undercover voters – multiple social media accounts belonging to different characters who sit across the US political divide. By tracking the content that is pushed at each of them, this investigation will cover a turbulent time for US politics with speculation over a Trump bid for the presidency and Biden facing domestic and international challenges.

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

Find out more about our award-winning "undercover voters" here: bbc.in/3lFddSF.

Categories: News & Politics

Listen to the last episode:

Donald Trump’s former lawyer takes the stand.

Former US President Donald Trump’s trial in New York is in its fourth week, where he’s accused of trying to cover up a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.

He’s pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and also denies having a sexual encounter with Daniels.

This week, the man at the centre of those allegations - Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and right hand man - took the stand.

Anthony Zurcher, alongside the BBC’s US reporters, Kayla Epstein and Madeline Halpert, take a detailed look at Cohen’s evidence, and they also discuss why high ranking Republicans have been speaking outside the court in New York and why it could affect the Vice Presidential nomination. HOSTS: • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent GUESTS: • Kayla Epstein, BBC reporter covering the trial in New York • Madeline Halpert, BBC reporter covering the trial in New York 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

US Election Unspun: Sign up for Anthony’s new BBC newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68093155.

This episode was made by Purvee Pattni with Rufus Gray. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.