Is Donald Trump close to finishing his war with Iran?
Americast
BBC
4.3 • 3.1K Ratings
🗓️ 6 May 2026
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
What is really going on beyond the rhetoric? We unpick the mixed messages from the Trump administration with the war on Iran. It started with the president unveiling “Project Freedom”, a US operation to help vessels trapped in the Gulf to safely escape through the Strait of Hormuz. But less than 48 hours later, that plan was put on hold, with President Trump threatening “higher intensity” bombing if Tehran doesn’t comply with his demands for a deal.
Anthony and Sarah discuss what it will take for the US to extricate itself from the war, and look at the political cost at home as the price of gas breaks new records. Can Trump still convince Americans that what he’s calling a “mini war” is worth the escalating price of food and gas? And can he do it before the midterms in November?
HOSTS: • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent
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This episode was made by Alix Pickles and Purvee Pattni. The technical producer was Ben Andrews. 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. |
| 0:07.2 | If you're the person always being asked, what's happening in the news? |
| 0:10.9 | You could do with a podcast wingman. |
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| 0:19.5 | We won't even mind if you try and take the credit yourself. |
| 0:22.4 | Listen to Newscast every day on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:25.7 | The latest on Donald Trump's war on Iran that he called Operation Epic Fury. |
| 0:30.2 | Well, according to his latest post on social media, it might be over, or is it? |
| 0:34.8 | It's been a very, very confusing few days where we have seen the United |
| 0:39.4 | States launch a new operation to try and get ships through the Strait of Hormuz, then abandon |
| 0:44.1 | that operation, and then say, talks are going well, they might be near the end of a war, |
| 0:49.6 | but at the same time threatening to start bombing again. So we want to unpick amid all the claims and counterclaims |
| 0:55.4 | and new turns, what's actually happening, where Donald Trump might take this from here. And as gas |
| 1:00.9 | prices in the United States are reaching new highs and voters are really feeling the pain, is it possible |
| 1:07.7 | for Donald Trump to extricate himself from the war that he started? |
| 1:11.4 | Welcome to AmeriCast. |
| 1:15.2 | AmeriCast from BBC News. |
| 1:18.3 | You hear that sound? |
| 1:19.5 | Oh, I think when I hear that sound, it reminds me of money. |
| 1:23.2 | We didn't start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it. |
| 1:27.5 | This is a big cover up, and this administration is engaged in it. |
... |
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