TrumpWorld

Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in American history, a two hour speech packed with dramatic claims, partisan attacks and a full political show of force. With approval ratings falling and Republicans increasingly anxious about the midterms, Trump used the moment to sell an economic turnaround and portray a country “winning again,” even as many of his assertions strained credibility.From repeated standing ovations by Republicans to a fiery confrontation with Democratic representatives over immigration and the killings in Minnesota, this was a speech designed to energise his base and provoke his opponents. But did it persuade the voters he needs? And what does it reveal about the future of the Republican Party, potential 2028 contenders and America’s standing on the world stage?On today’s TrumpWorld, Anushka Asthana is joined by Republican commentator and strategist Tara Setmayer, who is a long-standing opponent of Donald Trump, to discuss all of this and more.

Cuba is in crisis. As severe fuel shortages disrupt daily life across the island, US President Donald Trump has declared Cuba is "an unusual and extraordinary threat" to US national security. The US president has cutting off the flow of Venezuelan oil to the island and threated to slap tariffs on any nation supplying Cuba with fuel.With no diesel to power collection trucks, rubbish is piling up across Havana. Extended blackouts are hitting homes, schools and hospitals, deepening what many describe as the country’s most serious humanitarian emergency in years.President Trump has urged Cuban leaders to “make a deal,” escalating pressure as conditions worsen. So how far will Washington push Havana, and what could come next?In today’s episode of TrumpWorld, Anushka Asthana and Matt Frei discuss the roots of Cuba’s fuel crisis, the impact of US policy, and the political calculations driving events in Washington and Havana. We also hear from journalist Jon Lee Anderson, a writer for The New Yorker - with decades of reporting on Cuba he offers rare insight into the island’s history, its leadership and its struggle to navigate this latest crisis.

The latest release of the Epstein files has triggered political and cultural shockwaves on both sides of the Atlantic. Millions of documents, new surveillance footage verified by Channel 4 News, and a growing list of players including some of the world’s most powerful people have raised urgent questions about influence, accountability, and why so many continued to orbit Jeffrey Epstein long after he became a convicted sex offender.In this episode of TrumpWorld, Anushka Asthana and Matt Frei break down the new revelations, including looking at the email trails that undermine public denials by figures like Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.We also hear from survivors who fought for the release of the files and who say that, despite the headlines, true accountability still feels like a distant dream.

It’s been a bruising week in TrumpWorld. Donald Trump is battling a fresh wave of Epstein headlines, walking back his ICE crackdown, and softening once-hard threats on Greenland and tariffs. Meanwhile, the cost-of-living crisis is still squeezing Americans, and unease is growing among his base: is this still ‘America First’ or is it becoming ‘America Fights’, as US military power looms over Iran?If a week is a long time in TrumpWorld, what could the next nine months bring? With the midterm elections on November 3 fast approaching, the stakes are high. Can Democrats finally land a blow?In this episode of TrumpWorld, Anushka Asthana speaks to staunch anti-Trump political analyst and strategist Dr Rachel Bitecofer - author of Hit ’Em Where It Hurts - to look ahead to the midterms, and what the road to November could mean for America.

Minneapolis has become the centre of a crisis that is reshaping American politics. After the killing of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse described by friends as gentle and decent, the Trump administration has been forced into an unexpected shift.The video of his final moments has ignited protests across the city, unnerved Republican lawmakers facing the midterms, and exposed the scale of ICE’s new power under Trump.In today’s episode of TrumpWorld, Anushka Asthana reports from a frozen and fearful Minneapolis, where families have been hiding indoors and local police say they are being prevented from doing their jobs. And from London, Matt Frei breaks down how ICE grew into the most heavily funded enforcement agency in US history and why agents now seemingly act with near total impunity.We ask what Trump’s domestic revolution really looks like on the ground, why Pretti’s death became a turning point, and how the White House are responding to the crisis.

Was Greenland ever just a punchline? Is Donald Trump now reshaping the Western alliance itself, one shock move at a time? He’s finally ruled out taking Greenland by force - but he wants to own it - and won’t take no for an answer. What happens if Europe refuses to bend? And is the damage already done to the transatlantic order as we know it? From an unprecedented showdown at Davos to record-breaking executive orders that have rewritten America’s map, Anushka Asthana and Chuck Todd break down a week that has left Washington, London Brussels and now the snowy mountains of Switzerland reeling. They examine Trump’s fixation on Greenland, the new 'Donroe' Doctrine taking hold inside the White House, and the rising influence of Stephen Miller as the architect of Trump’s most aggressive foreign policy gambits.

Could Donald Trump order a strike that eliminates Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei? With tensions between Washington and Tehran escalating and protests sweeping Iran, with thousands now killed, the idea of dramatic military action has moved from the fringes into serious debate.To help unpack the legal, strategic, and real-world implications of this scenario, we’re joined by Robert Malley, President Biden’s former Special Envoy for Iran. A key figure in U.S. diplomacy on Tehran and a veteran negotiator of the 2015 nuclear deal, Malley brings deep insight into the limits of force, the power of diplomacy, and how U.S. policymakers think about confronting Iran’s leadership.

Was Venezuela just the beginning? Is Donald Trump reshaping the global order, one country at a time? What happens to NATO if Greenland is next? And what would that mean in Ukraine? With the UK and France now promising boots on the ground if there’s a ceasefire, would the United States come to their defence if needed?From Nicolás Maduro in a beige jumpsuit to threats against NATO allies, Matt Frei and Anushka Asthana break down a week of jaw-dropping headlines that have upended the global rules based order. They discuss Trump’s ‘takeover’ of Venezuela, the rise of Marco Rubio as a key power broker in Latin America, and the shock return of the Monroe Doctrine as a guiding force in US strategy.

In a year where President Donald Trump arguably made more enemies than friends, we look back at who ended up on his naughty list, with Trump’s 12 “beefs” of Christmas. From escalating wars with MAGA over the Epstein files, to clashes with Europe over tariffs, Venezuela, migrants, the media, universities, and Elon Musk.Matt Frei and Anushka Asthana are together in London to look back at a turbulent year in TrumpWorld. They ask what these feuds reveal about how power works inside the administration, and whether the fractures in Trump’s coalition are starting to show.Also in this episode, Matt and Anushka unpack one of the most revealing portraits yet of Donald Trump’s White House, prompted by a striking Vanity Fair profile of his chief of staff, Susie Wiles. We examine how Wiles became Trump’s most trusted power broker, why she can say things to him no one else can, and what her comments reveal about internal tensions over tariffs, deportations, Elon Musk, and USAID.

Has Donald Trump finally hit his peak? With fractures inside MAGA, an increasingly hostile rhetoric towards Europe, a new security strategy that has unsettled America’s closest allies and a new affordability crisis gripping the US - he may have done just that.This week on TrumpWorld, Anushka Asthana and Matt Frei take you inside a White House facing pressure both at home and abroad. Trump’s criticism of Europe has sparked anxiety among key allies, while a growing rebellion inside MAGA is beginning to shape the political mood in Washington.They examine the gap between Trump’s self-declared economic success and the reality of rising grocery bills, as well as Congress’s latest showdown with the president.And in an extended interview with Democrat and Former White House Chief of Staff, John Podesta gives his view on where this presidency is heading and what it means for America’s place in the world.

President Donald Trump has intensified his anti-immigration stance, pausing all immigration applications from 19 countries. On Tuesday he singled out Somali communities in remarks that have drawn widespread criticism from across the world.In this podcast, Anushka Asthana and Matt Frei break down what he said, why his crackdown on immigration has escalated over recent days, and why this rhetoric is driving deep anxiety among many Americans. We explore the political context, human consequences, and the broader implications for immigrant communities across the country.

After three years of war, could a Ukraine peace plan really be within reach? In this episode of TrumpWorld, we break down President Trump’s controversial 28-point peace proposal and the shockwaves it’s sending through Kyiv, Europe and Moscow. We look closely at the security guarantees being floated, but at what cost for Ukraine? And will the new revelations from Witkoff’s Ukraine leaks jeopardise progress?Matt Frei also speaks with Fiona Hill, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former senior director for European and Russian affairs on the U.S. National Security Council during Trump’s first term. She explains why, in her view, this peace plan is still entirely beholden to Putin’s demands.

Is Donald Trump preparing to take the U.S. to war with Venezuela? What is his gunboat diplomacy really aiming to accomplish and what could it mean for Maduro’s presidency? And as tensions hit a boiling point, a few days ago, America’s largest aircraft carrier was ominously sent to the region.In today’s episode, Matt Frei speaks with America’s former U.S. Special Representative for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams to break down the motives, the risks, and the potential fallout.

A new tranche of Epstein emails have been released, exposing more details about one of the most notorious scandals in modern politics - and putting fresh pressure on Donald Trump. All this in the week that Donald Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for $1 billion for ‘defamatory’ statements, plunging the BBC into an existential crisis. On this week’s episode of TrumpWorld, Matt Frei and Anushka Asthana explore how the revelations are reverberating through Washington and Westminster, unpack what the Epstein revelations could mean for Trump, and discuss his relationship with the media. And we speak to former Washington Post editor Martin Baron about what this moment reveals about the future of journalism, and accountability in the age of Trump.The White House has responded to this release of emails by House Democrats.Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says: “The Democrats selectively leaked emails to the liberal media to create a fake narrative to smear President Trump."The ‘unnamed victim’ referenced in these emails is the late Virginia Giuffre, who repeatedly said President Trump was not involved in any wrongdoing whatsoever and “couldn’t have been friendlier” to her in their limited interactions."The fact remains that President Trump kicked Jeffrey Epstein out of his club decades ago for being a creep to his female employees, including Giuffre."These stories are nothing more than bad-faith efforts to distract from President Trump’s historic accomplishments, and any American with common sense sees right through this hoax and clear distraction from the government opening back up again.”

Zohran Mamdani has just been elected the Mayor of New York in a victory hailed as a political earthquake. But what does the socialist democrat’s win mean for Donald Trump, and why does it matter so much to him?In this episode of TrumpWorld, Matt Frei and Anushka Asthana unpack the implications of Mamdani’s triumph with Dr. Christina Greer, political scientist and proud New Yorker.

As Donald Trump continues his Asia tour, all eyes are on his upcoming meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday - amid a fierce trade war and fraught geopolitical backdrop.In this week’s episode of TrumpWorld, Anushka Asthana and Matt Frei break down what we can expect from this meeting and what’s at stake; from trade deals to tech tensions

Donald Trump claims to be the President of Peace. But at home, he faces accusations of authoritarianism as protests sweep the country and the National Guard hits Portland.From Gaza to Ukraine, and from Portland to Chicago, his foreign and domestic agendas are on a knife edge.So, is Trump really the peacemaker he claims to be - or an authoritarian tightening his grip? Can America’s democracy withstand another Trump crackdown? And what does his vision of “law and order” mean for the rest of the world?

The fragility of Trump’s Gaza peace plan is already on full display. Israel has halved aid deliveries to Gaza, accusing Hamas of breaking the ceasefire agreement by refusing to return the bodies of hostages. Now, as President Trump announces the launch of Phase Two of the deal, big questions remain: what does this next phase involve and is the ceasefire already at risk?In this week’s episode of TrumpWorld, Anushka Asthana and Matt Frei speak with Jasmine El-Gamal, a former Pentagon advisor on the Middle East. They unpack the future of Trump’s Gaza strategy, the power dynamics at play, and whether peace is really within reach - or just another illusion.

On the two-year anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks, a new push for peace in Gaza is gaining momentum and this time it’s being driven directly by President Trump. His personal involvement marks a major shift from previous negotiations, raising hopes and deep scepticism in equal measure.In this week’s episode of TrumpWorld, Anushka Asthana speaks with our Foreign Correspondent Secunder Kermani, who has reported extensively from the region. Since the attacks, Secunder has made dozens of trips to Israel and was among the few international journalists embedded with the IDF inside Gaza during the early stages of the war.

Why is the government shutdown different this time and could Donald Trump use it to expand his power? And what exactly is Trump's peace plan for Gaza and will it work?On this week's episode of TrumpWorld, Anushka Asthana and Matt Frei sit down with acclaimed historian Jill Lepore to discuss her new book, We the People. They explore how today’s political chaos echoes moments from America's past and what history can teach us about where Trumpism might be heading next.