Americast

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 Senate mean for the president? Could they try to impeach him for a third time? And why are the Republicans diverting campaign money into races that should be safe?
They also look at how Trump was able to waive new sanctions on Russia, even though Congress had recently passed them with bipartisan support. And how do Americans feel about his approach to Putin and Ukraine?
Plus, the sudden exit of White House press secretary Katie Zacharia. She’s now taken the record from Anthony Scaramucci for the shortest time in a top White House job.
HOSTS
- Sarah Smith, US North America Editor
- Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
- Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Senior 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 [email protected]
- Or use #Americast
This episode was made by Purvee Pattni with Nik Sindle. 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 Newscast. 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
Top Comment: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m001mssm
Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd

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 immigration crackdown affecting families who have lived in the US for a long time, is that support slipping away?
Justin and Anthony discuss the campaign in Texas, where the Senate race is becoming a fight to win over Latino voters. Trump has mocked the Democratic candidate James Talarico for being vegan (though he isn’t), and Talarico has thrown down the gauntlet, challenging his Republican rival Ken Paxton to a TV debate on Fox News.
Justin then talks to Mike Madrid and Chuck Rocha, the Republican and Democratic strategists behind The Latino Vote podcast. They say Latino voters are angry, mostly about the economy. Mike argues that they are drifting away from both parties rather than switching sides, and that Trump’s immigration enforcement has backfired on the Republicans. Chuck, who works for the Talarico campaign, warns Democrats against complacency: Latino voters turning against Trump might not translate into lasting support for the party.
HOSTS:
• Justin Webb, BBC Radio 4 Presenter
• Anthony Zurcher, BBC North America Correspondent

GUESTS:
• Mike Madrid, Author of “The Latino Century: How America’s Largest Minority Is Transforming Democracy”
• Chuck Rocha, Democratic strategist and adviser to the James Talarico campaign
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 [email protected]
- Or use #Americast
This episode was made by Emma Close with Nik Sindle. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. 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. 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
Top Comment: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m001mssm
Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd

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 such as ‘gerrymandering’, super PACs, dark money, stump speeches, and what it really means to be an ‘informed voter’.
We’re joined by Celia Hatton from the Global News Podcast, with questions from around the world.
HOSTS:
• Celia Hatton, Global News Podcast presenter
• Sumi Somaskanda, BBC Chief 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 [email protected]
• Or use #Americast
This episode was made by Emma Close and Helena Burke with Nik Sindle. 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 Newscast. 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
Top Comment: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m001mssm
Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd

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, Sarah, Anthony and Marianna are back with Matt Chorley to answer your questions on the case and whether Hegseth’s plan will actually go ahead after public scepticism by vice president JD Vance. President Trump is reportedly weighing up the decision, with other Republicans also voicing concerns.
And, Donald Trump has announced a deal to buy diesel from Russia and called for Ukraine to elect a new leader to replace Zelensky. The deal has sparked outrage from many US allies and highlights the need for Republicans to lower the price of diesel ahead of the midterm elections. Will the deal finally cause mainstream Republicans to break with the president?
Plus, the “energy ceasefire” that Trump announced over the weekend between Russia and Ukraine already appears broken after Russian strikes on Ukrainian power plants. The deal has sparked online conspiracy theories surrounding data centres and so-called Russian bot farms. How does it relate to the upcoming midterm elections?
HOSTS
- Sarah Smith, US North America Editor
- Justin Webb, BBC Radio 4 Presenter
- Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
- Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Senior 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 [email protected]
- Or use #Americast
This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Nik Sindle. The technical producer was Hannah Montgomery. 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. 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
Top Comment: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m001mssm
Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd

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 that, and how much can we trust the polls?
The party’s hope for a blue wave in this year’s midterm elections rest on their ability to flip four Republican seats in the Senate. While the polls suggest the Democrats are ahead in Texas, Alaska and Ohio, the picture is more complicated in Democratic states like Maine and Michigan, which many believe the party must hold on to if they’re to reclaim control of Congress.
Sarah and Justin unpack the latest polls and what it tell us about Democrat and Republican strategy before we speak to the Democratic strategist and pollster John Anzalone. He’s currently working on Roy Cooper’s Senate campaign in North Carolina and most recently served on Joe Biden’s successful 2020 campaign. He tell us why Democrats should be cautious about hopes for a blue wave in November and the issues candidates need to focus on in the run-up to polling day.
HOSTS:
• Sarah Smith, BBC North America Editor
• Justin Webb, BBC Radio 4 Presenter
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 [email protected]
• Or use #Americast
This episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Nik Sindle. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. 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. 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
Top Comment: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/m001mssm
Radical: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r
The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd