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Americast

BBC News
Donald Trump
Democratic Party
Iran
Republican Party
Jeffrey Epstein
United States
Ukraine
Venezuela
Social Media
Charlie Kirk
Federal Reserve
Epstein Files
Zohran Mamdani
Congress
Russia
ICE
Midterm Elections
NATO
National Guard
New York City

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... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes645Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsGovernmentNews

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Latest Episodes

President Trump made the pledge at the Republicans' first ever midterm convention, promising every adult American a $5,000 payment if his party wins both chambers of Congress in November.

Sarah, who was in the arena in Dallas watching Trump’s speech... more

The journalist Peter Bergen also talks to us about meeting Osama Bin Laden before 9/11, and what happened during that interview.

In this episode, Justin, Sumi and Marianna discuss America twenty five years on from 9/11 and to what extent it still s... more

And will Trump’s attempts to limit mail-in voting at the US Supreme Court succeed? The US president has made an urgent appeal, trying to change the rules over who can and can’t vote by mail before this November’s midterm elections, despite ballot pap... more

The reporter Jonathan Swan gained unprecedented access to the inner workings of Donald Trump’s White House in the first year of his second administration. Who were the main characters fighting for the president’s attention? How were decisions made in... more

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Recent Guests

Jonathan Swan
Co-author of Regime Change, White House correspondent for The New York Times
The New York Times
Episode: An insider's account of Trump's White House
Stephen Hawkins
Global Director of Research at More in Common
More in Common
Episode: Are polls misleading Americans?
Anushka Matandodawati
BBC journalist reporting from Las Vegas on the Tupac trial
BBC
Episode: Americanswers! Are the US and Canada in an all-out trade war?
Karoline Leavitt
Former press secretary to the White House
White House staff (former)
Episode: Americanswers! Is Iran really trying to kill Trump, and why is he threatening to bomb Oman?
Pattie O'Connell
Pattie O'Connell of Newsnight and Newscast
BBC Newsnight/Newscast
Episode: Americanswers... on 5 Live! Will Trump's new challenge to birthright citizenship work?
Mike Murphy
Veteran Republican strategist; co-host of Hacks on Tap
Hacks on Tap
Episode: Why the Democrats may never be the same again
Abdul El-Sayed
Progressive candidate in Michigan primary
Democratic candidate, Michigan
Episode: The Democrats need to win Michigan… so why is it splitting the party?
Laura Loomer
MAGA influencer, political commentator
MAGA influencer / MAGA movement
Episode: Americanswers… on 5 Live! Is Donald Trump serious about running for a third term?
Chris Rufo
MAGA activist and commentator who campaigns against DEI in education and the public sector
Episode: The anti DEI MAGA activist Christopher Rufo

Hosts

Sarah Smith
Host; BBC North America editor with on-the-ground Washington reporting
Justin Webb
Co-host; BBC journalist providing U.S. political analysis
Marianna Spring
Disinformation and social media correspondent; Top Comment segment host
Anthony Zurcher
BBC North America correspondent; Washington-based analysis

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 5.4k ratings
  • Excellent podcasts

    Since I discovered these podcasts I really enjoyed them. Analysis of the stories is really clear and it has been fascinating to hear about important issues in American politics

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SW (South East)
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • bye bye

    after having this in my feed for quite a while i’m removing after Justin’s questionable bias softball interview a couple episodes ago. apparently it’s OK to be racist now as long as your package your views in highly educated prose.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    stevemcseattle
    United Statesa month ago
  • Ok

    It’s ok. Ruined for me by Mariana Springs constant use of the word ‘like’. Better episodes when she’s not on it. A shame as the others are very good.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Mrc007
    United Kingdoma month ago
  • Sick to my stomach

    (One star only because I had to put something).

    Listening to the “interviewer” kiss Christopher Rufo’s butt was the last straw. I actually felt sick to my stomach. You just gave an evil, racist crybaby an open platform to present his skewed, unfounded and simply untrue narrative. You did not challenge one single imaginary “fact” he presented. And you thanked him so obsequiously that I visibly cringed. BBC news, my a**. This is not journalism. This is pandering. Sickening.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    PVdoc
    United States2 months ago
  • Hugely disappointed

    Why do you have one white middle class man interviewing another about DEI etc?? It’s outrageous and unbelievable that you didn’t include women or black or brown people into the conversation. How can you have such a one dimensional interview? Terrible journalism! This is why you need to have a diverse team!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CuriousYellowBird
    United Kingdom2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A few listeners want more diverse voices and speaking pace adjustments.
Some listeners feel it leans left and is biased at times.
The show is praised for reliability and deep research.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

An insider's account of Trump's White House
Q: How did you and Maggie Haberman begin to secure such unprecedented access to the Trump White House during the second term?
We leveraged deep, long-running sources and conducted intensive daily reporting through late 2023 and 2024, building trust and corroboration to verify scenes that would withstand scrutiny, even as many details were kept off the record.
Americanswers! Could Zohran Mamdani serve in a Democrat White House?
Q: Could Zohran Mamdani serve in a Democratic cabinet? And does this come with a precedent for non-natural citizens to serve in the cabinet?
Yes, the Constitution restricts the presidency to natural-born citizens, but cabinet positions do not have the same birthright requirement; there are multiple historical examples of cabinet secretaries born outside the United States, so Mamdani could be eligible for a cabinet post despite not being eligible to become president.
Are polls misleading Americans?
Q: Sumi, have you heard of median strategies?
Stephen explains that median strategies refers to a dubious poll that appeared in Wisconsin and California as a social experiment; ultimate interpretation is unclear, and concerns focus on how such data could be used to influence narratives or benefit certain actors.
The Democrats need to win Michigan… so why is it splitting the party?
Q: Why is Michigan considered so important for the midterms?
Because winning Michigan is seen as essential to flipping the Senate, and the state serves as a key test of how the party's future direction may impact national elections.
Americanswers… on 5 Live! Can Trump save FIFA boss Gianni Infantino?
Q: Has Donald Trump ruined the life of Gianni Infantino?
The hosts discuss the perception that Trump's proximity to Infantino has hurt Infantino's image, suggesting that the relationship is viewed as compromising the integrity of football governance, though Trump argues he's not corrupt.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About Americast

What is Americast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show provides in-depth analysis of American politics and policy through BBC journalists with on-the-ground reporting from Washington and national-issue discussions. Episodes typically explore U.S. political dynamics, elections, policy debates, and how media narratives intersect with real-world governance, often featuring guests who bring campaign strategy, policy expertise, or insider viewpoints. A notable strength is the mix of seasoned political insight, live reporting, and conversations with controversial or high-profile figures that reveal competing perspectives shaping the U.S. political landscape. Listeners can expect clear explanations of complex issues, timely updates on evolving stories, and geopolitical context that connects ... more

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To see how many followers or subscribers Americast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Americast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Americast:

1. Newscast
2. The News Agents - USA
3. The News Agents
4. The Rest Is Politics: US
5. The Rest Is Politics

How many episodes of Americast are there?

Americast launched 7 years ago and published 645 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Americast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Americast?

Recent guests on Americast include:

1. Jonathan Swan
2. Stephen Hawkins
3. Anushka Matandodawati
4. Karoline Leavitt
5. Pattie O'Connell
6. Mike Murphy
7. Abdul El-Sayed
8. Laura Loomer

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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