Americanswers… did Trump’s funding cuts contribute to Texas floods deaths?

Justin, Anthony and Marianna answer your questions on the devastating flash floods in Texas, which have killed tens of people, including children at a summer camp, and where search and rescue operations are ongoing. There are now questions around why people were not evacuated sooner, the inadequate warning systems in place, and if Donald Trump and Elon Musks’ cuts could have been part responsible? Also, as conspiracies about the cause of the floods begin to circle on social media, the Americast team look into where the theories come from and whether there’s any truth to them. Plus, the team answer your questions on the Big Beautiful Bill. It’s the centrepiece legislation of Trump’s second term which adds an estimated $3.3 trillion to the US federal debt, and critics say it will leave millions without health coverage. In response, Elon Musk has said he’s starting his own political party. Could this mark a new era for American politics? Is it really, as Trump claims, the most popular bill ever signed - and how should the Democrats respond? HOSTS: • Justin Webb, 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 Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. 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 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: BBC Sounds - Radical with Amol Rajan - Available Episodes

On the campaign trail, Donald Trump promised to target illegal immigrants that were the ‘worst of the worst’ with strict deportation enforcements. Six months into his second term, the US president has ramped up his battle over so-called 'sanctuary cities' by taking legal action against Los Angeles, and other Democratic cities. Trump says the Democrats are harbouring “millions of illegal aliens” by creating sanctuary cities which don’t need to co-operate with ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Justin and Anthony discuss the upcoming fight between Donald Trump and these cities, and assess how achievable his promise is to carry out the largest deportation programme in American history.HOSTS: * Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent * Justin Webb, 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 Purvee Pattni with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producers were Ricardo McCarthy and 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 The Global Story, and of course 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.The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm **

In the latest instalment of Donald Trump's battle with the U.S. media, Paramount - the parent company of CBS News - has agreed to pay $16 million to Donald Trump's future presidential library. The company noted the settlement does not include a statement of apology or regret.Trump filed the lawsuit last October, alleging the network had deceptively edited an interview that aired on its 60 Minutes news programme with his presidential election rival Kamala Harris, to "tip the scales in favour of the Democratic party".Paramount becomes the latest media company to make concessions to the president, who has targeted various media outlets over what he describes as false or misleading coverage.Sarah, Anthony and Marianna discuss why Paramount has chosen to settle the case, and how will it affect political interviews - by TV networks - in future elections. We also unpack why senators have voted for Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, and how Anthony is enjoying his rare week in London. HOSTS: • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations 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 Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Jonny Baker. 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 The Global Story, and of course 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.The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm

We answer your questions on Americanswers. Donald Trump suggested this week that the Supreme Court ruling on birth right citizenship is a victory for democracy. Anthony, Justin and Sarah discuss what the ruling means and how it might be interpreted across different states in America. They also discuss the impact of Supreme Court rulings on Trump’s power as President. Also, as a Republican Senator breaks rank to criticise the Big Beautiful Bill, what will be the impact on proposed Medicaid cuts and other health programmes?Elsewhere, recent ICE raids are leaving Texan farms empty… What other industries might be be affected by Trump’s immigration policies? And could there be a serious campaign to elect Bruce Springsteen as the US president in 2028? HOSTS: * Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter * Sarah Smith, North America Editor * Anthony Zurcher, North America CorrespondentGET 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 #AmericastThis episode was made by Rufus Gray with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. 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-68093155Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including The Global Story, and of course 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.The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm Radical with Amol Rajan: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0gg4k6r

Why has a mayoral race in New York sparked conversations across America about the future of the Democratic party, and the state of politics in the United States? Zohran Mamdani, who looks set to be confirmed as the Democrat’s new candidate for the Mayor of New York has already been labelled a ‘disruptor’ a ‘visionary’ and a ‘communist lunatic’ by Donald Trump. Sarah, Justin and Marianna look at who he is, his politics, and what impact his victory might have beyond New York, America’s largest city. We also speak to author (Moneyball, The Big Short) and financial journalist Michael Lewis about his new book ‘Who is Government’, about the inner workings of federal agencies in the US, about why the Democrats need to reinvent their party - and reimagine their next frontrunner. HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • 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, Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. 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 The Global Story, and of course 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.The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm

Donald Trump has aimed his fury at the media after a Pentagon report was leaked to the press claiming that the US strikes on Iran only set back the country’s nuclear programme by a few months. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says the FBI is investigating how the report ended up in the media, while Donald Trump aimed his fury at outlets like The New York Times and CNN for reporting the story.Despite the report, Donald Trump has been boasting of the mission’s success while at a NATO summit in the Netherlands, where he compared the strikes to the American bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the Second World War. Sarah and Anthony assess the president’s options if the strikes were not as successful as he claims.HOSTS: * Sarah Smith, North America Editor * Anthony Zurcher, North America CorrespondentGET 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 #AmericastThis episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Dafydd Evans. 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-68093155Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Radical, 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/p0gg4k6

What has Donald Trump started in the Middle East after US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend? He also seemingly changed his position on regime change in the country, posting on Truth Social that it may be needed to ‘MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN’. The Americast team - along with Matt Chorley from 5 Live - discuss the potential fallout of the the strikes within America, whether Congress has any say in what Donald Trump does next, and what happened after the president told his own Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, that she was wrong about Iran’s nuclear capabilities?HOSTS: • Matt Chorley, 5 Live Presenter • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America editor • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations 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 #AmericastThis episode was made by Rufus Gray with Alix Pickles. 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-68093155Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including The Global Story, Radical, and of course 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. The Global Story: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/w13xtvsd Radical with Amol Rajan: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0gg4k6r Newscast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/p05299nl Ukrainecast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/brand/p0bqztzm

​​Today we look at the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites. ​​ ​​Donald Trump told Tehran to "make peace" or face "far greater" attacks in future. Iran has warned of “everlasting consequences”. ​​ ​​Security analyst Gordon Corera goes through what we know about the strikes and what could happen next. Gary O’Donoghue, chief North America correspondent, explains Trump’s thinking and the reaction in the US ​​ ​​You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers. ​​ ​​You can join our Newscast online community here: https://tinyurl.com/newscastcommunityhere ​​ ​​New episodes released every day. If you're in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bit.ly/3ENLcS1 ​​ ​​Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. It was presented by Adam Fleming. It was made by Chris Flynn with Rufus Gray. The technical producer was Jonny Hall. The weekend series producer is Chris Flynn. The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

As the world waits for Donald Trump’s decison on whether to join Israel in striking Iran’s nuclear sites, he is quickly losing support from his own party. Donald Trump has generally enjoyed party unity since returning to office in January but now faces an open revolt over the possibility of US strikes against Iran. Some of Trump’s biggest supporters, including the Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, have publicly come out against the prospect of war with Iran. Why are some of his MAGA supporters against military involvement, and does it fit with the ‘America First’ agenda? Sarah, Justin and Anthony discuss how the legacy of America’s wars in Iraq and Afghanistan loom over the current situation with Iran, and whether Donald Trump even needs the support of his party to join the Israel-Iran conflict. And Justin speaks to Elliott Abrams, who served as Special Representative for Iran from 2020 to 2021, during Donald Trump’s first term. He was also an Assistant Secretary of State in the Reagan Administration. In 1992, Abrams was pardoned after he was convicted of misleading Congress about out the Iran-Contra affair, which involved the secret sale of arms to Iran. HOSTS: * Sarah Smith, North America Editor * Justin Webb, Radio 4 Presenter * Anthony Zurcher, North America CorrespondentGET 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 #AmericastThis episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles and Julia Webster. The technical producer was Rohan Madison. 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-68093155Americast is part of the BBC News Podcasts family of podcasts. The team that makes Americast also makes lots of other podcasts, including Radical, 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

Donald Trump is considering how far the United States should go in joining Israel’s attacks on Iran. Sarah and Anthony - who were both at the G7 summit in Canada on Monday, with Anthony travelling on Air Force One with Trump - discuss whether the U.S. is on the brink of another Middle East war.The president held an emergency Situation Room meeting at the White House in which his national security team discussed how far the U.S. should be involved. One of the big targets would be the uranium enrichment site at Fordo that is deep underground.Donald Trump has already called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender” following Israel’s strikes but Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the US military involvement will be met with “irreparable harm”.Does the president have support from the American public and what might happen next?HOSTS: * Sarah Smith, North America Editor * Anthony Zurcher, North America CorrespondentGET 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 #AmericastThis episode was made by George Dabby with Alix Pickles. The technical producer was James Piper. 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-68093155Americast 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