Trump strikes Iran again: a sign of desperation?

Is Israel trapped in a Forever War?

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 react to reports of furious recent phone calls between President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, and ask whether the US-Israeli relationship has been permanently damaged by the ongoing conflict. And you can watch Christiane's recommendation for this week here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G4lEEqEzpQ Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files is a Global production, available every Tuesday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Follow us on social media @amanpourpod For more content, please follow us: Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpod X: https://x.com/AmanpourPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-Presents BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social

Q&A: Trump’s dealmaking “mastery”, capitalism vs democracy & do sanctions work?

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 billionaires? Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files is a Global production, available every Tuesday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Follow us on social media @amanpourpod For more content, please follow us: Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod [https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpod [https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpod] X: https://x.com/AmanpourPod [https://x.com/AmanpourPod] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-Presents [https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-Presents] BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social]

Does Putin want to start a war with NATO?

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 intensifying, Christiane and Jamie discuss whether Democrats should adopt a significantly tougher stance, and what the political consequences of doing so might be. Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files is a Global production, available every Tuesday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Follow us on social media @amanpourpod For more content, please follow us: Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod [https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpod [https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpod] X: https://x.com/AmanpourPod [https://x.com/AmanpourPod] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-Presents [https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-Presents] BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social]

Q&A: The Pope’s AI warning, Iran at the World Cup & is Russia still meddling in US politics?

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 also unpack the long-running ambiguity of US policy on Taiwan, before turning to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s current political troubles and whether a change in leadership could strengthen the UK on the world stage. Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files is a Global production, available every Tuesday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Follow us on social media @amanpourpod For more content, please follow us: Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod [https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpod [https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpod] X: https://x.com/AmanpourPod [https://x.com/AmanpourPod] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-Presents [https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-Presents] BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social]

Trump strikes Iran again: a sign of desperation?

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 that the US & Israel originally planned to install the former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the new leader of Iran - and she explains why this proves that there was no proper strategy for this conflict. Christiane & Jamie also discuss why Bibi Netanyahu is putting so much pressure on Trump to keep fighting, and whether Trump still has the authority to tell Israel what to do. Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files is a Global production, available every Tuesday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode. Follow us on social media @amanpourpod For more content, please follow us: Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod [https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpod [https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpod] X: https://x.com/AmanpourPod [https://x.com/AmanpourPod] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-Presents [https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-Presents] BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social]