The conspiracy theory Trump can't kill

Does the Democratic Party need fresh blood? New ideas? Perhaps a whole new populist approach to politics? That’s the interview you’ll be hearing with Saikat Chakrabarti - the young tech millionaire hoping to unseat Nancy Pelosi next year who believes that the Dems are dead unless they seriously reinvent. But we begin with the problem that simply won’t go away for Trump. The Epstein files and how it’s splitting the MAGA base. What happens when you unleash a conspiracy theory on the world you just can’t shut down?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Donald Trump's cheerleaders and media outriders are apoplectic with his administration. After months of anticipation that the attorney general Pam Bondi would release an Epstein 'client list' - the names of wealthy individuals that the disgraced paedophile billionaire had blackmailed for influence - a joint DOJ and FBI memo this week dismissed the idea that any such list even existed. Not normally shy to answer questions, the President appeared apoplectic too, with a journalist who asked about his handling of the Epstein affair - all lending to the feeling that Trump is reeling from the wave of anger coming his way from him own base. How has a conspiracy become the breaking point between Trump and his cheerleaders? We discuss with Anna Merlan, senior reporter at Mother Jones and author of 'Republic of Lies'.Later, as armed officers swept through a park in LA in scenes that have been described as "disgraceful" and "dystopian" - is ICE now acting like a lawless militia?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Trump squeaked his spending bill through the Senate last night with the casting vote of his VP. Three Senators voted against it. Many more had threatened to vote against it but were either won round or scared into it. Elon Musk says it will bankrupt America and wants to take the political fight to any vulnerable Senator who disagrees. Would he really start his own political party? And who would Republicans fear more if so - Trump or Musk? Later, would Trump have gone to jail if he hadn’t won the presidency? We speak to the lawyer at the side of special counsel Jack Smith today, Alex Whiting.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Zohran Mamdani is just 33 years old. His victory over (tarnished) Democrat royalty Andrew Cuomo for the New York mayoral primaries is exciting a lot of younger folk. Is his pitch a potential blueprint for how democrats start to win again? Or was he just running against a terrible candidate? Later, strategist Doug Heye about how traditional republicans feel now about Trump's foreign policy.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Michael Lewis, author of The Big Short and Who is Government, joins Emily in the studio to talk about whether American's have fallen out of love with their government, and what happens when you dismantle it? The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

As tensions in LA spills out, President Trump is sending the armed forces onto the streets of the city. It's against the wishes of California's governor, who has warned that "democracy is under assault". Jon an Emily are joined by the architect of Trump's 2016 victory and host of host of the War Rooms, Steve Bannon.Is Trump enacting the mass deportation he promised? Or is he manufacturing a crisis that will allow him to access more emergency - executive power? Later, should Elon Musk be deported? Should Trump be giving tax cuts to billionaires? And which British politicians is he watching most closely? The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

For months, Donald Trump has been heralding his "Big, Beautiful" spending bill - a key piece of his agenda, containing tax cuts for the rich and benefits cuts for the vulnerable. It will also add trillions to America's debt - to the point that some are now sounding the alarm, warning of a "debt bomb" about to hit the US economy. What the White House didn't bet on was that one of those leading critics would be Elon Musk - who's turned fire on his former boss in spectacular fashion, calling the legislation a "disgusting abomination" and ominously warning Senators that voters will fire those politicians who "betray America". Will his words spook Republicans into defying Donald Trump? And how will the President react to Musk's missives?Later, we speak to Evan Osnos, New Yorker writer and author of new book 'The Haves and Have-Yachts: Dispatches on the Ultrarich". It's a firsthand insight into the lives of America's new oligarchy now running America - what does it tell us about the forces driving voters and how can the Democrats respond? The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Not content with demanding government oversight of Harvard's teaching and appointments, Donald Trump has directed his government to cease all federal funding of America's most prestigious university. And in a wider blow to academia, US embassies around the world have been ordered to suspend scheduling appointments for student visas. Social media vetting will be stepped up for those hoping to step foot on an American campus. Why is Donald Trump so fixated on the higher education institutions that have made the US world leaders in so many sectors? We speak to one Harvard scholar who is leading the calls for his university not to cave in to the pressure.Later, as Trump accuses Putin of "playing with fire", could he finally be serious about slapping tough new sanctions on Russia? And what does America's intelligence community make of the way he's conducting himself on the world stage?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Gone are the days when a presidential cancer diagnosis would be greeted with kind words and warm wishes. It took less than 24 hours for the White House administration to try and turn the illness into the latest smoking gun on what Biden had or hadn’t told the public whilst he was president. But should the Democrats take some blame for what’s happening now? We talk to the former Biden policy adviser Jamie Ruben. Later, where is Trump now on Israel and Russia - and what’s going on with James Comey and those sea shells?Don’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents now have merch! Click here to buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agentsThe News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Donald Trump's trip to the Gulf should have been accompanied by glowing headlines and fawning Fox coverage about the hundreds of billions of dollars secured in fresh investment into America from allies in the region. But there's one deal in particular that has riled friends and foes of the President: a $400m jet being gifted to Trump by Qatar. He's said he would be "stupid" to turn down the offer - critics have raised ethical, intelligence, and corruption concerns. Is the perception of a grift the ultimate gift for the Democrats?Later, we speak to Bryan Lanza, a veteran of both the 2016 and 2024 Trump campaigns, about whether the White House should be feeling the heat over the tariff climbdown - and whether claiming there is a migrant "invasion" justifies suspending a thousand year old legal principle. Don’t forget you can also subscribe to our other News Agents podcasts via the link below:https://linktr.ee/thenewsagentsThe News Agents now have merch! Click here to buy yours now: https://store.global.com/collections/the-news-agentsThe News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/