How will Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' change America?
Americast
BBC
4.2 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 21 May 2025
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Donald Trump's ‘one big beautiful bill’ looks set to be his defining piece of legislation for his second term, if he can get it through Congress.
It’s an enormous bill which covers everything from the future of Medicaid, the taxes Americans pay, to border spending and national defence.
But not all Republicans are on board and the president may face a fight to pass the bill by his Memorial Day deadline.
Justin, Sarah and Anthony unpack how the bill could change peoples’ lives in America, and whether Trump will have to make concessions to hardliners in his party.
HOSTS: - Justin Webb, Radio 4 Presenter - Sarah Smith, North America Editor - 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 George Dabby and Grace Reeve. The technical producer was Mike Regaard. The series producer is Purvee Pattni. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts. |
| 0:04.7 | We are about to get the defining piece of legislation of the Trump second term. |
| 0:10.5 | And I say that because it's really the only piece of major legislation being planned by Congress at the moment. |
| 0:17.0 | There is a deadline of Monday Memorial Day to get the big beautiful bill, as Donald Trump |
| 0:23.4 | calls it, over the line. Not all Republicans, though, are happy with it. Is this going to be the |
| 0:29.2 | moment that Congress stands up to Donald Trump? Will he get his way? And what does it mean for America? |
| 0:35.7 | Welcome to AmeriCast. |
| 0:40.0 | AmeriCast. |
| 0:46.2 | AmeriCast from BBC News. You're gambling with lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War III. President Trump's message is very simple. We are done being taken advantage of. |
| 0:51.4 | Mr. President, in the name of our God, have mercy upon the people. |
| 0:55.7 | We're scared now. |
| 0:56.9 | Are you supportive of these onesies? |
| 0:58.9 | I'm supportive of vaccines. |
| 1:00.5 | What is happening? |
| 1:01.6 | Like, this is not America. |
| 1:03.4 | This is a terrible nightmare. |
| 1:04.8 | This is what victory feels like. |
| 1:08.3 | Yeah. |
| 1:09.6 | Yeah. |
| 1:21.8 | Hello, it's Sarah here, and I'm back in the BBC's Washington Bureau. |
| 1:24.6 | And it's Anthony. I'm back with you here in Washington. |
| 1:29.6 | And it's Justin back as well from South London and the dog in the worldwide headquarters of AmeriCast in London, England. And I should say it's about, what is it, |
... |
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