Episodes

  • Trump vs universities

    Trump vs universities
    Apr 18 2025
    This week, Harvard University, the oldest and wealthiest in the US, defied Donald Trump a list of demands. The Trump administration responded by freezing $2.2bn in federal funding for the Ivy League school. This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to the Harvard professor Ryan Enos to consider why the university is pushing back, how far this fight may go and why other universities are watching closely
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    28 mins
  • Why did ‘strongman’ Trump back down on tariffs?

    Why did ‘strongman’ Trump back down on tariffs?
    Apr 11 2025
    After doubling down on his promise not to pause his latest tariffs, Donald Trump has announced a 90-day pause for most countries except China. Why did he change his mind? Jonathan Freedland speaks to James Bennet of the Economist about who might have forced the president’s hand, and what could happen next
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    27 mins
  • Has Donald Trump broken Congress?

    Has Donald Trump broken Congress?
    Apr 8 2025
    In a special episode, Jonathan Freedland and Annie Karni of the New York Times look at what seems to be a long-term question for US politics. With Republicans fighting each other in the House and Senate, and Democrats struggling to command the room, is Congress broken? Annie’s new book with Luke Broadwater is called Mad House: How Donald Trump, Maga Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man With Rats in His Walls Broke Congress
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    27 mins
  • Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ and Musk’s bad week

    Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ and Musk’s bad week
    Apr 4 2025
    The Guardian’s Rachel Leingang speaks to Nikki McCann Ramirez, from Rolling Stone magazine, about Donald Trump’s decision to upend US trade policy and reports that Elon Musk could soon be leaving his role as a special government employee Send your questions and feedback to politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com
     Help support the Guardian by going to theguardian.com/politcspodus
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    25 mins
  • Trump’s ‘Signalgate’ blame game

    Trump’s ‘Signalgate’ blame game
    Mar 28 2025
    As Donald Trump and his top officials scrabble to respond to the Signal leak scandal, Jonathan Freedland and the New Yorker’s Susan Glasser discuss the fallout of this security breach, and why the US president is attacking the media instead of the people who let a journalist read potentially classified material
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    27 mins
  • Why are Democrats so divided?

    Why are Democrats so divided?
    Mar 21 2025
    This week a Democratic lawmaker became the first to officially call for the senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, to step down. The veteran Democrat angered many in his party last week when he backed a Republican funding bill that averted a government shutdown. But this is just one example of a party in crisis trying to oppose the Trump administration, with very little power in Congress. This week, we hear from representatives Jamie Raskin of Maryland, Ro Khanna of California, Julie Johnson of Texas, and Maxwell Frost of Florida on how they would like their party to move forward. Plus, Jonathan Freedland asks the senior Democratic strategist Waleed Shahid what the party’s strategy should beSend your questions and feedback to politicsweeklyamerica@theguardian.com Help support the Guardian. Go to theguardian.com/politcspodus
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    35 mins
  • Has Trump broken the US economy?

    Has Trump broken the US economy?
    Mar 14 2025
    This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to Heather Boushey, an economist and former adviser to Joe Biden, about what Donald Trump’s long game is with his trade war, and how voters will view his handling of the economy should there be a ‘Trumpcession’ Send your questions and feedback to politicsweeklyamerica@theguardian.com Help support the Guardian by going to theguardian.com/politcspodus Listen to Science Weekly’s episode on the chaos Trump has unleashed on science
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    31 mins
  • Trump turns America’s allies into enemies

    Trump turns America’s allies into enemies
    Mar 7 2025
    This week, Donald Trump picked fights with Canada, Mexico, Ukraine, US veterans and every Democrat sitting in Congress for his State of the Union address. Chris Michael and Joan E Greve discuss why the US president is turning up the heat on longtime allies, whether Democrats are responding successfully and, in the end, who loses out if Trump’s tactics fail? Send your questions and feedback to politicsweeklyamerica@theguardian.com Help support the Guardian by going to theguardian.com/politcspodus
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    23 mins