Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files

How real is the alleged Iranian plot to kill Donald Trump? Is it a genuine assassination plan, or another case of Israeli intelligence getting it wrong? Christiane and Jamie unpick the story and ask whether this reporting is accelerating the collapse of the US-Iran ceasefire and Memorandum of Understanding.They also explain why the two sides have started firing on each other again, how long the Strait of Hormuz might stay closed, and whether the unexpected death of Lindsey Graham could shift the trajectory of Trump's foreign policy.Plus: Christiane's verdict on last week's NATO...

Trump says the Iran ceasefire is over - so how worried should we be about a return to full-scale war? Christiane and Jamie break down the latest tit-for-tat strikes and explain why the Iran War is even more humiliating for the US than Vietnam or Afghanistan.Plus, Christiane and Jamie discuss Trump’s interference in the World Cup… and how the US still lost to Belgium! They also assess the far-right Marine Le Pen's path back to eligibility for the French presidency, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage's resignation over an alleged £5 million “gift”, and Denmark's pointed reminder at the NA...

America has just marked 250 years of independence, but how much does the world's superpower really have to celebrate? Christiane explains how Trump is remaking the Land of the Free in his own image, and she and Jamie ask whether the President is doing irreversible damage to the US at home and abroad.They examine how the First Amendment right to free speech is under attack, and why America's closest allies are losing trust in a President whose behaviour they can't predict. But it's not all doom and gloom: Christiane reveals why the World Cup is giving her...

Nearly four months after the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted, how are the many Asian countries dependent on its oil managing? Christiane and Jamie also discuss the US's potential decline as a world power, and its success as host of the FIFA World Cup - despite the odds.Also, given the UN inquiry that declares Israel as the perpetrators of genocide, at what point does the US reconsider its "special relationship" with a country facing such charges from international bodies? They also move into the philosophical: in politics, is a true believer more dangerous than an opportunist...

Putin has publicly admitted that Ukraine's strikes are causing real damage inside Russia. With fuel being rationed in Siberia and supplies in Crimea running out, Christiane and Jamie discuss how worried Putin is, and whether this is the beginning of real pressure on Moscow.They also discuss Venezuela's devastating earthquake which has exposed a country incapable of dealing with crisis. With the US doing the bare minimum to help - and effectively took control after removing Maduro - Christiane and Jamie ask: if you break it, do you own it?Next...

Christiane and Jamie contrast the political accountability between presidential and parliamentary systems - why does Donald Trump remain while Keir Starmer falls?Plus, could Syria, Lebanon, and Israel ever cooperate to eradicate Hezbollah? Or has that moment already passed? And, what of Israel's undeclared nuclear arsenal? Christiane and Jamie also discuss the far-right threat sweeping Europe, from Germany's AfD to France's Marine Le Pen, before discussing the likelihood of America returning to anything resembling normality, post-Trump.Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files is a Global production, available every Tuesday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube...

The US and Iran have held their first round of peace talks, but has there really been any progress? Is Tehran actually likely to allow nuclear inspectors back in? And has Trump's approach left America in a weaker negotiating position than when this all started? Christiane and Jamie cut through the diplomatic noise and explain what's really happening behind the scenes as both sides try to reach a deal.They also unpack why Trump and JD Vance are turning the screws on Benjamin Netanyahu, and discuss whether Bibi now regrets going into coalition with two far-right politicians...

Elon Musk has become the world's first trillionaire - but should we celebrate or worry? Christiane and Jamie debate how his leap from electric cars and SpaceX into owning the public square, gutting USAID, and bankrolling Europe's far right represents a concentration of power no single individual should hold. They also examine whether Trump's final-term decisions are driven by ideology or personal business interest, and why "might makes right" seems to define every corner of this presidency.Plus, with hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers now in the West Bank and a campaign of violence forcing Palestinians...

The war in the Middle East has stopped, but can either the US or Iran genuinely claim victory? Christiane and Jamie unpick what the Memorandum of Understanding actually includes, what it conspicuously leaves out, and why the deal could still collapse if the two sides can't agree on the nuclear question long-term.Christiane reveals what her contacts inside Iran are telling her about the potential for peace, and she and Jamie ask whether the Islamic Republic's new regime is actually more hardline than the one it replaced.Plus: Russia has just launched devastating airstrikes on...

Is the gutting of 60 Minutes leading us down a dangerous path? Christiane doesn't hold back on what CBS's parent company is doing to one of the most successful news programmes in television history.Plus, a Lebanese listener asks the question at the heart of the Middle East crisis: is it cheaper to pay off Iran and its proxies than to keep fighting? Christiane and Jamie unpack why the war in Lebanon won't end while Israel refuses to deal, and whether the Trump administration has the diplomatic expertise to broker real peace.Christiane and Jamie also...

Christiane was in Beirut until last Sunday. By the time she arrived back in London, the Lebanese capital was once again under Israeli bombardment and the Middle East ceasefire appeared on the verge of collapse.In this episode, Christiane reveals what Lebanese President Joseph Aoun exclusively told her about Israel's ongoing war with Hezbollah and Iran's continued grip on his country. She and Jamie trace Hezbollah's history as an Iranian proxy force, its decades of conflict with Israel, and whether Lebanon now holds the key to a wider peace deal in the region.They also...

On this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked whether Donald Trump’s self-styled reputation as a master dealmaker stands up to scrutiny, as US-Iran talks drag on with bold claims but little progress. They also discuss the French navy’s interceptions of Russian oil tankers accused of skirting sanctions, and whether others should follow suit.They explore the effect that gerrymandering, and the wider capitalist system, has on American democracy, both politically and morally, before analysing claims that Elon Musk interfered in the 2024 election. What can democracies realistically do to protect themselves from the billio...

After a Russian drone struck a building inside NATO member Romania, Christiane and Jamie ask the question on every western leader's mind: does Putin actually want a direct confrontation with the alliance? They examine whether the incident was a reckless accident or a calculated provocation, potentially a deliberate test of NATO and Europe's willingness to respond. What does it tell us about Russia's escalation strategy, and how should the West react?Later, they turn to US domestic politics and the growing debate within the Democratic Party over Israel. With criticism of Israeli military operations and settler violence...

This week, Christiane and Jamie discuss Pope Leo’s warning that AI could end up starting more wars, and ask whether the technology now poses a genuine threat to the future of humanity. They also look at the politics around this summer's FIFA World Cup - which will see Iran play matches in the US - as the war in the Middle East shows no sign of ending.Christiane & Jamie also revisit Russia’s interference in the 2016 US Presidential election and discuss whether Moscow is still meddling in American politics today, even while at war with Ukraine. They...

The Iran ceasefire hangs by a thread after the latest round of US strikes on Iranian military sites and IRGC boats. Is this a sign that Trump is about to restart the war? Or is it that the President is becoming increasingly desperate to end the conflict he probably regrets starting three months ago? Christiane & Jamie unpick how Trump has backed himself into such a tight corner, and whether it's now inevitable that the US emerges from this war in a weaker position than when it started.Later, Christiane delivers a powerful reaction to a recent report...

With growing numbers of doctors and experts publicly questioning the president's mental fitness, Christiane and Jamie tackle the most uncomfortable question in American politics: is Donald Trump losing it?Then, Christiane and Jamie are asked about the Epstein files and why justice for the women and children who were abused is yet to be served. They also examine Israel's controversial new death penalty law for Palestinians and debate whether the October 7th attacks can justify such a measure. And to mark their first podcast anniversary, Christiane and Jamie revisit a row from their marriage over Iraq sanctions.<...

After a bruising few months of war, and with his ratings at an all-time low, could Trump be about to target Cuba? Christiane & Jamie dissect the President's recent visit to China and explain why he was unable to make any progress on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, plus they reveal why he might be planning to indict the former Cuban President Raul Castro.They also look at Trump's ongoing struggle to end the Iran War, and unpick whether other world leaders are still paying any attention to his threats. Later, Christiane reacts to reports that the US...

Christiane and Jamie tackle the question of why so many MAGA supporters still trust President Trump despite rising costs, broken promises and foreign wars. They also address whether Americans truly understand how much damage has been done to the country's standing in Europe.Plus, Christiane and Jamie break down Iran's surprisingly effective Lego-style propaganda videos, explaining why humour has become the Islamic Republic's most potent weapon against the Trump administration. They also tackle a question close to Christiane's heart - why devastating humanitarian crises, such as those in Sudan and Ethiopia, continue to be ignored by the...

What's been happening in Ukraine while the world has been watching the Iran War? Something has shifted - and not in Putin's favour. This week, Christiane and Jamie examine why Putin suddenly pushed for a ceasefire ahead of Russia's Victory Day celebrations. Was it a diplomatic gesture, or a sign of fear? They explore growing reports that Putin has become paranoid about his own security, and make the case that Ukraine may be doing far better on the battlefield than the world realises.Christiane and Jamie also discuss the latest developments in the Iran War, and look...

Christiane and Jamie answer your questions on the global fallout from the conflict in the Middle East - is anyone paying attention to the millions in sub-Saharan Africa facing displacement as a direct consequence of the Iran War? And will China or major European nations ever apply enough pressure on Trump to end it once and for all?Plus, with millions of Americans having voted for Trump, will the attitudes that put him in power will simply produce more candidates like him? Christiane and Jamie also assess the emerging competition between JD Vance and Marco Rubio for...