The News Agents - USA

Trump wanted taxpayer money set aside for a 'slush fund' critics feared would be used to payout millions for his January 6th allies. But in a rare act of defiance, Republicans have killed off the plan before it could become reality.Why did Trump’s own party draw the line here? Was it a principled stand, a political calculation, or a sign that some Republicans are growing nervous about defending everything linked to January 6th? And Has Trump pushed Republicans too far this time?Later, Congressman Suhas Subramanyam joins us to discuss the Department of Justice's handling of the Epstein files.The News Agents USA is a Global Production.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 3 June 2026

Ken Paxton - Texas Attorney General - and a politician with a string of sleaze investigations behind him - has just been anointed by Trump as the Texas Senate candidate.Has Trump made a terrible mistake here? Why are the Democrats licking their lips? And is a blue seat in a deep red state starting to seem possible?Later, Philadelphia congressman Brendan Boyle on Trump’s slush fund, the mid term races, and his urgent warning to British voters.The News Agents USA is a Global Production.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2026

Donald Trump announced a $1.776bn new scheme this week labelled an 'anti-weaponisation fund' to compensate citizens who've been mistreated by the US justice system. Who could the President have in mind as in need of compensation? How about the January 6th rioters? Well they are stepping forward in their droves to state their intentions to claim millions from the IRS - and Trump seems to be cheering them on. Critics say he's using the money to keep his own private militia on retainer - are they right?And why did Trump secure 'forever' immunity for him and his family from tax audits?Later, in a rare act of rebellion, Republican Congressmen stripped out $1bn worth of funding for Trump's ballroom from a Bill going through the legislature that was supposed to be about immigration enforcement funding. Trump has doubled down on the ambitions for the ballroom - talking about a drone port on the roof and a military base. But will the GOP get increasingly jittery about the exorbitant costs and the gaudy nature of his White House redevelopment when there's an affordability crisis weighing on the minds of voters?The News Agents - USA is a Global Production.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 21 May 2026

Did Trump really mean to tell Americans he wasn't thinking of their financial situation "at all" when he went to war with Iran? He repeated it several times so we can assume it was no slip of the tongue. The democrats are delighted. His allies are dismayed. Expect that line to get played on a loop. But has Trump stopped worrying about the economy for everyone except his own family? And has he given up on the midterms?Later, Politico's Jonathan Martin joins Jon in the studio. What's Trump playing at? Is the base still with him? And is the American media doing enough to hold him to account?The News Agents USA is a Global production.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2026

Overnight in Indiana ,Trump showed the grasp he still has over the Republican Party where the candidates he’d endorsed for the State Senate won their primaries against the moderate Republicans that had stood up to his attempts to gerrymander.It's remarkable in itself that Trump was at all invested in the races - these are local politicians earning $33,000 a year - and yet his influence proved key. What does this tell us about how the midterms will play out? Meanwhile, Marco Rubio has announced the end of the Iran war as if it were obvious to all of us. Are we about to see some actual progress in the conflict in the Middle East? A peace deal? An actual signed contract? Or is Trump just playing for time before his next big stunt?The News Agents is a Global Production.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 6 May 2026

Fiona Hill served in Donald Trump's first administration and is one of the most authoritative voices on geopolitics. She advised on his Russia strategy and matters of national intelligence - before becoming a witness in his impeachment in 2019.She has worked up close and personal with the President. And, as the war in Iran rages, and Putin continues to try and chisel Trump away from Europe's position on Ukraine, she came into the News Agents studio to try and make sense of the new age of international turmoil ushered in by Trump's second term.What does she understand about the Putin-Trump relationship? Is the President compromised? Is Trump a fundamentally different man now compared to his first term? And is he backsliding America into territory similar to Russia?The News Agents - USA is a Global Production.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 29 April 2026

Voters in Virginia have approved changes to their electoral map which essentially makes it easier for Democrats to win. Republicans argue they’ve been disenfranchised - and they’re right: It’s ugly. It’s unfair. But it’s not illegal.What’s more, they've already done the same thing in the red state of Texas. So are democrats finally learning how to play dirty? Is it enough to win? And are they prepared to go low as a response to Trump - even if it creates a moral vacuum and erodes democracy in the 250th anniversary year of the republic.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2026

Has Trump’s erratic behaviour and threatening rhetoric over the last few weeks rendered him unfit for office? The question seems an obvious one to House Democrats - who are petitioning to remove him under 25th amendment. They won’t succeed. No one ever has. But it raises a bigger question of how many and for how long those around Trump are prepared to stand by and do nothing.Miles Taylor was in the DHS in Trump's first term. He became a whistleblower - now being investigated by Trump's DOJ for 'treason' for telling the world what went on. He is with us on today’s episode and takes us into the conversations he’s having behind the scenes with Republican legislators right now.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2026

Besides Trump's threat to eliminate Iran, something else remarkable happened this week. A string of Republican Congressmen finally found the courage in themselves to come forward and criticise that threat.Trump's actions in the Middle East are a disaster for his colleagues. Gas prices are up, the affordability agenda is in tatters, and America looks on course for a humiliating military defeat to an old adversary. Is this the catalyst for widespread rebellion in the Republican party?Jon speaks to Marc Short, Trump's director of legislative affairs, about what happens now in Iran - and to the Republican's in the midterms later this year.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2026

Beside Trump's threat to eliminate Iran, something else remarkable happened this week. A string of Republican Congressmen finally found the courage in themselves to come forward and criticise that threat.One of his old allies, Senator Ron Johnson, told a podcast that he was "hoping and praying that President Trump is, that this really is bluster." Another Republican Senator, Lisa Murkowski, condemned the post - saying it "cannot be excused away as an attempt to gain leverage in negotiations with Iran". Congressman Nathaniel Moran posted: "That is not who we are, and it is not consistent with the principles that have long guided America."Trump's actions in the Middle East are an electoral disaster for his colleagues. Gas prices are up, the affordability agenda is in tatters, and America looks on course for a humiliating military defeat to an old adversary. Is this the catalyst for widespread rebellion in the GOP as his colleagues start fighting for their own political survival? And is loyalty to Trump a luxury they can no longer afford?Jon speaks to Marc Short, Trump's director of legislative affairs and then Mike Pence's chief of staff, about what happens now in this conflict - and to the Republicans in the midterms.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2026

Things just aren’t going well for Donald Trump right now. Forget the Iran war, his spectacular NATO fallout, rising gas prices, Trump’s just heard that the construction of his 90,000ft ballroom will have to be paused after a judge told him he was the White House steward and not its owner. The affordability crisis in America is spiking as his poll numbers are tanking. Is he looking for a speedy way out? A diversion?We speak to Congressman Jim Himes, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2026

Vast sums of money was traded before President Trump's now famous attempt to announce an Iran peace deal on Monday. The speculation was that those with prior knowledge had capitalised by insider trading. Today we’re joined by Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman to explain why this sounds highly plausible, and why there’s no ethics investigation even if it’s true. Later - was Meta and Google deliberating trying to harm children by getting them addicted to the their sites? A jury finds the companies liable in a historic ruling.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2026

The first resignation over the Iran war came yesterday. Oddball Joe Kent, Director of counter-terrorism, said he disagreed with President Trump's war. Are others starting to feel the same? Loud voices in MAGA are telling Trump he’s got it wrong. What happens now?We talk to Jason Greenblatt, White House special envoy to the Middle East during Trump's first term, about what Trump is trying to achieve in Iran - and whether he is losing the room.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 18 March 2026

Despite being at war, America's commander in chief President Trump has been busy hosting election-style campaign events ahead of important midterm elections. It was billed as an "affordability tour", a chance for Trump to hammer home the ways in which his presidency will make voters feel better off.But predictably, at a rally in Kentucky, Trump went off script. He used the platform to repeatedly slam GOP Congressman Thomas Massie, mock Barack Obama, and declare that America had in fact already won the conflict in the Middle East. US public opinion on the war already makes alarming reading for the White House - and that's before the huge spike in oil prices really filters through to the weekly shop or at the gas pumps. Has his decision to strike Iran wrecked his best shot at keeping voters on side?Later - John Bolton on how Trump has fumbled his Iran "excursion", and why Marco Rubio needs insoles...

Transcribed - Published: 12 March 2026

Why did Trump decide to strike Iran? Was it the US that started the war? Is it even a war? Listening to senior figures in the administration and in MAGA it's not entirely clear. The accounts are confused, contradictory, and seem to change by day.What is clearer is that the American public don't support the action. Polling suggests only one in four Americans back the strikes - and a series of Trump influencers have reacted with fury to the move. This is another war from the President who pledged to end them. With the midterms critical for Trump's future, could this intervention become a massive own goal if gas prices rise and voters turn away from the GOP?This week, Jon is joined by Michael D. Shear, the Pulitzer Prize winning New York Times correspondent.And later - James Talarico electrifies Democrats in Texas, but is talk of turning the State blue premature? Or does Talarico represent a generational shift in the party?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 4 March 2026

Has the DOJ withheld documents from the Epstein files that relate to allegations against President Trump? That's the accusation from senior Democrats after an NPR investigation found that more than 50 pages of FBI interviews and notes from a conversation with a woman who accused Trump of sexual abuse when she was a minor were removed from the dataset.California Congressman Robert Garcia is calling it "the largest government cover up in modern history". The White House says that President Trump has been "totally exonerated on anything relating to Jeffrey Epstein". So what's actually going on?We speak to the editor of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, about Epstein, the State of the Union address, and the state of journalism in the era of Trump.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2026

Senator Mark Kelly is a former astronaut, a Navy pilot, and was almost Kamala Harris VP pick. Now he’s weighing up a run for the presidency himself in 2028. He came into the News Agents studio this lunchtime to tell us why Trump is helping his cause by threatening to have him “hanged“ and why it’s important for European leaders, including Starmer, to push back on Trump’s bullying.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 17 February 2026

The News Agents USA listeners, we've got a new podcast we think you'll love.Step inside sport’s greatest soap opera, Formula One, with a brand-new podcast Up To Speed. Hosted by Drive to Survive star Will Buxton, racing driver-turned-broadcaster Naomi Schiff, 13-time Grand Prix winner David Coulthard, and F1 content creator Jolie Sharpe.Expect razor-sharp reaction, behind-the-scenes insight, blockbuster interviews and answers to the questions you’ve always wanted to ask! With their deep knowledge, expert analysis and infectious love for racing, Will, Naomi, DC & Jolie dive into the stories that matter - on and off the track.It’s fast-paced, unfiltered and full of the gossip that keeps the paddock buzzing.They’ll react to the weekend's race drama every Monday. On Thursday they’ll deep dive into the biggest stories of the week. Watch and listen to episode 1 now on Global Player, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 17 February 2026

Trump is trying his best to manifest good polling numbers. But the raw numbers as they stand are dire for the President. This week, we talk to top pollster Doug Sosnik, who was at Bill Clinton’s side for six years, about political shamelessness, polling and 'the Epstein class'.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 11 February 2026

In an exclusive interview with Emily, Amy Wallace - who co-authored Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir - warns that lives are being put in danger by the way that the US department of justice has handled the Epstein files.Why are victims' names appearing unredacted but possible perpetrators are having their names concealed, and testimony against them omitted entirely?Donald Trump has told America to move on and focus on something "people care about". Does the President's feeble attempt to draw a line under the Epstein files only strengthen the resolve to get to the bottom of the scandal and bring about justice?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 4 February 2026

The actor Billy Crudup, known for The Morning show, Jay Kelly, and Almost Famous, is bringing the Western to the London stage in High Noon. It's an allegory of McCarthyism and Hollywood’s “black list ". This week, he joined Emily in the studio to discuss why he’s drawn to stories of moral cowardice and why he finds it so easy to speak up right now.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 29 January 2026

The deadline to release the Epstein files is now over a month old. Last night, a congressional committee confirmed Ghislaine Maxwell would appear before it in a hearing on February 9th. Although she may choose to say little. The vote in Congress last November created a legal obligation on the government to release the Epstein files. So what happens now if the justice department refuses to comply? Later, how Gavin Newson rose through the Democrat ashes to lead the polls as the front runner in 2028. What has he discovered in how to deal with Trump?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 22 January 2026

It's a week since Renee Nicole Good was shot by an ICE agent whilst in her car in Minnesota. Since then, protests have erupted around the country, schools in Minneapolis have closed, and last night saw a second shooting by an ICE agent. Is the immigration law enforcement now just a political weapon? And, as Trump threatens martial law, is ICE deliberately trying to provoke conflict in Minnesota? We're joined by Semifore's Ben Smith. The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 15 January 2026

The plan to taken down Venezuelan leader, Nicolas Maduro, was months in the making. And yet, when it did finally happen, it not only took Caracas by surprise but even Washington was stunned by the speed of the incursion. What does the operation in Venezuela tell us about how Trump might be planning to take over other territories? Why has he got his eyes on oil tanks, and is he prepared to go battle with Putin? We speak to The Crisis Room's Marc Polymeropoulos.Later, Tim Walz has ended his campaign to run for Minnesota governor after ongoing fraud accusations became the focus of Republicans. Are fraud claims a new effective weapon for MAGA to attack the Democrats?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 7 January 2026

If you love The News Agents USA, then we think you'll love The Ex Files with Christiane Amanpour, where she and her ex-husband Jamie Rubin - a former US State Department official - unpack today’s defining global crises. Drawing on decades of insider experience in global affairs, reporting from conflict zones and grilling world leaders, they explain how we ended up where we are – and where we might be going.In this episode they discuss why Trump thinks he can force Ukraine to accept a 'surrender document' that hands Putin almost everything he wants. Plus Trump and Mamdani's first meeting in the Oval Office and how tech bros have muscled their way into US politics.Listen to Christiane Amanpour Presents The Ex Files with Jamie Rubin at globalplayer.com

Transcribed - Published: 22 December 2025

Trump's inner circle may be wondering this week why they gave Vanity Fair exclusive access and close up photos for the magazine. The portrait is unflattering to say the least. And highly revelatory. Will it change how Trump sees those around him? And why is the MAGA aesthetic so central to the brand?Also - Trump speaks to the nation about the economy. Why’s he had to make up all his figures?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2025

Affordability is the word that Zohran Mamdani made the centre of his New York mayoral campaign after watching the Democrats lose so badly in 2024. But now it’s the Republicans and President Trump that have to convince voters the economy is going in the right direction. And 70 percent of them no longer trust Trump to get it right. What does this mean for the midterms? Later, why the Supreme Court could be about to hand Trump the power he craves to fire whoever he fancies. We talk to Slate' s Mark Joseph Stern.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 11 December 2025

The story of the affair between journalist Olivia Nuzzi and Health Secretary RFK Junior has been called the least important and most important story of our times. What does it tell us about MAGA culture, journalistic ethics and the power of click bait versus deep dive investigation? Why is America so obsessed with her story? Later, has a leaked recording of Pete Hegseth, Secretary of WAR, opened him up to accusations of war crimes? And what happens to those who speak out against Trump's extra judicial killings?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 3 December 2025

The former FBI director James Comey has walked free after his indictment was thrown out by a judge who decided the presiding attorney was actually invalid. It’s a tricky moment for Donald Trump, who had pursued his enemies in the hope of putting behind bars people who he called “bad” - and led to accusations of “vindictive prosecution“ by the President. But already, the administration's ire has turned to its next victims - former astronaut and Arizona senator Mark Kelly. A decorated, highly respected military man who finds himself facing a possible court martial for sedition after Pete Hegseth's latest outburst. What effect are these arrests and investigations having on America's institutions? And after the resignation of outspoken congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, is Trump starting to lose his grip on his own base? We talk to the New York Times journalist Mark Landler. The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 25 November 2025

Last night both houses of Congress overwhelmingly voted to force the justice department to release the Epstein files. We could see the contents made public within days. But the vote itself, long resisted by Trump, has left the President looking weaker and more friendless amongst the MAGA base than he’s ever been. Is he starting to look like a lame duck President? And are Republicans imagining a MAGA world that comes after Trump? Or will they quickly revert to fealty? Later, the college professor in exile from America after being targeted by death threats for his academic work on Antifa.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 19 November 2025

Donald Trump has told Fox News he has an "obligation" to sue the BBC - claiming the broadcaster "defrauded the public" in the way a Panorama episode misleadingly edited a clip of his January 6th speech.The dispute has made it on to Joe Rogan's podcast, and the BBC is being hauled into the 'fake news' category by MAGA commentators.How serious is President Trump in his threats? And could he bankrupt the BBC?Jon and Emily speak to Andrew Weissmann, law professor and former FBI general counsel.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 12 November 2025

After a year in the wilderness for the Democrats, last nights electoral victories have given many a taste of winning again. Races in Democratic strongholds like New York, California, New Jersey and Virginia may not have been a shock - but the scale of the victories and the size of the turnouts has put a spring back into the step of those who’d given up hope.Today we discuss what Zohran Mamdani, Gavin Newsom, Abigail Spanberger and others are getting right. And whether it’s a useful predictor for what happens next?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 5 November 2025

A week out from the New York mayoral contest we speak to a good friend of Zohran Mamdani - journalist and broadcaster Ross Barkan. Does Mamdani represent a totally fresh start for the Democrats - or did he just get lucky with his opponents? And what lesson will the party take away if he’s victorious next week?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 28 October 2025

Former Republican congressman George Santos was jailed for wire fraud and identity theft and began his 7 year sentence in the summer. On Friday, after a mere 87 days, it was commuted - by the president - and Santos walked free. Today he gives us the first UK interview since his commutation to explain his crimes, his appeal for clemency, and what it tells us about Trump's America in 2025.Later, what on earth is going on in the east wing of the White House?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 22 October 2025

Saturday could see the largest mass demonstration in modern American history. The "No Kings" rallies across the country will see millions turn out to voice their discontent with Donald Trump and his administration's increasingly authoritarian actions. Robert De Niro is among those urging people to take to the streets, But senior MAGA figures are trying to discredit the whole thing before it's even started. They are describing it as a "Hate America" rally - demonstrators labelled "pro-Hamas", "Antifa", and "rabid". Will Donald Trump's base really buy that? Or should the White House be concerned about the swell of civil discontent? We speak to Bill McKibben, behind the group Third Path which is helping to organise the rallies. Later, Joe Rogan has condemned the way ICE is snatching an ever increasing number of people from the streets. Marjorie Taylor Greene has taken to CNN to criticise the lack of leadership on healthcare coming from her own party. When influential voices on the Right like those two are coming out rebuking the actions of the Trump administration, is that more likely to make him sit up and take notice?Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 16 October 2025

James Comey, former director of the FBI and Trump’s enemy number 1, has appeared in court this week to plead not guilty of lying to Congress. Trump has desperately sought his prosecution and said so out loud on numerous occasions. The President has struggled to find prosecutors who were even prepared to seek Comey's arrest. We talk to the FBIs former General Council, Andrew Weissmann, about the case for “vindictive prosecution“ and whether the justice system can survive Trumps overt politicisation. Later, who is JB Pritzker and why is he issuing a direct challenge to Trump?Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 9 October 2025

On today’s episode, the jaw-dropping personal account from a former government employee whose life has been turned upside down by the US President. Miles Taylor finds himself the subject of an unprecedented executive order and faces accusations of "treason" from Donald Trump. His crime? Speaking out about the dangers he saw coming in the first administration. How did dissent become criminalised in America in 2025? And what is the message Trump is sending out to his military when he orders them to fight the 'enemy from within'?Later, Pete Hegseth on fat generals and ripping up the rules of war.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 1 October 2025

Late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel was taken off air “indefinitely" last week by his ABC bosses at a Disney. But last night he came back. And he had plenty to say. We analyse the show, the reaction from the audience - and Trump - and ask if comedians are showing us how to resist the silencing. Later, we talk to Congressman Hank Johnson about whether the fight back has begun in earnest.Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 24 September 2025

As more details emerge about the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk and more questions about his motivation, one thing is pretty clear - he is not obviously part of any "domestic terror network" of the kind Trump and his administration is now pursuing. Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson is going after the Attorney General for her threats to free (hate) speech. How did the administration get themselves into this mess?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 17 September 2025

Donald Trump has told reporters (several times) that he is “ not thrilled “ by Benjamin Netanyahu's bombing of Hamas targets in Qatar. He’s told Netanyahu it’s “an unfortunate incident “. Just like he’s asked Putin nicely “not to bomb Ukraine“. When is Trump going to realise his words have little effect on either man? He’s failed to stop either war despite coming into office promising to stop them - is he proving once again he’s the TACO president? Is he actually scared of other strong men leaders?Later, we revisit the story Trump calls a “Democrat hoax “ - his relationship with Epstein now revealed in print form. We talk to the Republican strategist Doug Heye.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 10 September 2025

Why has America's health secretary RFK Jr fired the head of America's public health body? He says she was taking the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the wrong direction. She and her colleagues - who have resigned in protest - say they were uncomfortable following an anti-vax, anti-science direction of travel. Where will the MAHA project leave Americans? Will vaccines dry up? And does it even have Trump's support? We speak to Dr Mandy Cohen, who led the CDC until Trump's inauguration in January.Later, federal troops are coming onto Chicago's streets - a city described as a "hellhole" by the President despite having a lower murder rate than several cities governed by Republicans. Is Trump trying to create a private army under his control?The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 3 September 2025

It's not the first time Donald Trump has overreached, but his latest assertion is that he has the right to do whatever he wants. Trump wants total control - of universities, the police and anyone he perceives to be a threat. He's 'fired' Lisa Cook, the first Black woman to serve on the Federal Reserve’s Board of Governors. The FBI have raided John Bolton's home. Are there any signs anywhere of any checks on Trump? Or is America sliding towards a dictatorship? Later, we're joined by Patrick Gaspard - Obama’s 2008 national political director. He's the informal advisor to Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party’s nominee for New York mayor. Visit our new website for more analysis and interviews from the team: https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 27 August 2025

We start with the fallout from the unorthodox, perhaps undignifying diplomatic spectacle at the White House earlier this week. We are a million miles away from any peace deal in Ukraine, let alone any concrete shape of the 'security guarantees' Donald Trump has suggested may hypothetically be offered by the US in the event that Europe puts boots on the ground in Ukraine. And yet, already, prominent MAGA voices are coming forward to sound the alarm about American involvement in another foreign war. What do those warnings mean for how Donald Trump confronts the most pressing global crisis?Later, Gavin Newsom has clearly irritated the President - and Fox News - with his social media imitation of Donald Trump. He's started TWEETING IN ALL CAPS!! and thanking followers for their attention to this matter. It's a novel approach, and does appear to have boosted his personal ratings as speculation heightens that he's eyeing up the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028. Is it effective? Or is it just a bit cringey? And is he mocking Trump? Or imitating him?Get the latest news and analysis on our website: https://thenewsagents.co.ukThe News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 20 August 2025

Why is a Texas politician camped out in an undisclosed location, hiding from the FBI, and fearing that democracy is on the line? Jolanda Jones tells us about the extraordinary standoff taking place in her state.But first - what is Trump doing to crime figures, jobs numbers, museum archives and the Ivy League universities? A common theme is emerging - the President rewriting history like an authoritarian bored and irritated by fact. He’s been firing officials and replacing them with others who’ll massage the numbers in his favouring. He’s been threatening institutions and pressuring them to stump up cash. Is anyone confused by what the goal is here? Is Trump having to resort to make believe in his attempt to Make America Great Again?You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 13 August 2025

Trump's inner circle are heading to the Vice President's residence for what was supposed to be a secret summit to discuss the administration's strategy regarding the Epstein crisis that has engulfed the President.Polling shows that the American public are increasingly convinced that Trump is hiding something, and CNN says his team are now weighing up whether to publish recordings of the interview with Ghislaine Maxwell and the deputy attorney general Todd Blanche.JD Vance has insisted the President has been "transparent" about Epstein, but Trump's recent actions suggest a man desperate to move the conversation on. He appeared on the White House roof in surreal scenes, shouting answers to the press about lavish plans to build a ballroom on the estate. And in Texas, his Republican allies are now pursuing Democrats resisting efforts to carve up the electoral map in the State -- with calls to get the FBI involved in tracking them down and forcing them back to the State legislature.What will it take for Donald Trump to get out of the political quagmire he has created - and which is now damaging his project?You can visit our website here https://www.thenewsagents.co.uk/ The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 6 August 2025

On this week's episode of The News Agents USA Jon is joined in the studio by Jamie Raskin, a congressman and senior figure in the Democratic Party, who led the impeachment of Donald Trump after January 6th.In an exclusive interview he discusses the future of the democratic party, free speech, the relationship between Trump and the UK, his role in ousting Joe Biden as the party's nominee for President in 2024, and his recent spat with Nigel Farage.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 31 July 2025

In an unprecedented move, Mike Johnson - the Speaker of the House has just shut Congress for the summer and sent legislators home early to stop them passing a bipartisan bill calling for the release of files on Jeffrey Epstein. Mike Johnson is scared of Donald Trump. But what is Donald Trump so scared of? And why can’t he make this Epstein story go away? We’re joined by the reporter that’s followed all the twists and turns of the Epstein saga, scandal and conspiracy - The Bulwark's Will Sommer. And we ask why the late night Steve Colbert show has been cancelled.The News Agents USA is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

Transcribed - Published: 23 July 2025

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/

Transcribed - Published: 16 July 2025

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/

Transcribed - Published: 9 July 2025

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/

Transcribed - Published: 2 July 2025