Why has RFK Jr sacked an entire US vaccine safety committee?
Americast
BBC
4.2 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 13 June 2025
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
By popular demand the Americast team turn their focus on stories that have flown under the radar during the blanket coverage of the disorder in LA this week. Why has the US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Junior sacked all the members of a committee which makes recommendations on immunisations, and why is there some concern over his new picks? What does the election of two Democratic nominees for Governor in New Jersey and Virginia tell us about the future direction of the Democratic party? We look at why the Trump administration has lost in its efforts to deport Mahmoud Khalil and Kilmar Abrego Garcia, two high profile cases and what this means for the US president’s deportation policy. Plus, how American colleges will be able to pay student athletes millions of dollars.
HOSTS: • Justin Webb, Radio 4 presenter • Sarah Smith, North America Editor • Anthony Zurcher, North America Correspondent • Marianna Spring, Social Media Investigations Senior Correspondent
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This episode was made by Purvee Pattni, Alix Pickles, Tom Gillett and Gabriel May. The technical producer was Johnny Hall. 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 | This episode comes by popular demand. |
| 0:07.2 | We've had lots of emails, lots of correspondence from you, asking for today's episode |
| 0:12.8 | in the form it is coming to you. |
| 0:15.0 | This was a typical one from Lucy. |
| 0:16.8 | It feels a bit Trump-heavy at the moment, Lucy says, though I can understand why. |
| 0:20.7 | Are you able to do another what you might have missed episode soon with some more topics that are slightly under the radar? |
| 0:27.7 | Well, that's exactly what we're going to do on this episode. |
| 0:30.8 | It's an under the radar episode. |
| 0:32.8 | What else has been happening in America this week? |
| 0:36.1 | Welcome to AmeriCast. |
| 0:39.9 | AmeriCast. AmeriCast from BBC News. |
| 0:43.0 | You're gambling with lives of millions of people. |
| 0:45.8 | You're gambling with World War III. |
| 0:48.0 | President Trump's message is very simple. |
| 0:50.0 | We are done being taken advantage of. |
| 0:51.8 | Mr. President, in the name of our God, |
| 0:55.7 | have mercy upon the people. |
| 0:57.1 | We're scared now. |
| 0:59.3 | Are you supportive of these onesies? |
| 1:00.7 | I'm supportive of vaccines. |
| 1:01.9 | What is happening? |
... |
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