The State of It: USA

US foreign policy shifts on Ukraine: President Zelensky and President Trump have met in the White House and US-Ukraine relations are on a much friendlier footing than at any time since Donald Trump returned to office. They agreed that the US will give Ukraine licences to make their own Patriot missile interceptors to protect from Russian attacks, and there's talk that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner could make a trip to Ukraine.Maga influencer Laura Loomer went from saying that Ukraine was full of Nazis to being a cheerleader for President Zelensky. That shift in opinion seems to have filtered through to the Oval Office, but how much has Trump's position shifted? And how has the war in Iran changed his view on Russia and Ukraine? The Battle for Fifa: after Martyn Ziegler's Times scoop that Fifa's president Gianni Infantino is planning to sell off parts of Fifa to private investors, even Andy Burnham has weighed in to telegraph his disapproval...is the reaction justified or "complete balderdash"?Katy Balls, Washington editor and columnist at The Times and The Sunday TimesGerard Baker, columnist at The Times and editor at large at The Wall Street JournalProducers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry KitsonExecutive producer: Molly GuinnessPicture: Getty ImagesAudio: Reuters

President Trump is having meetings with both Binyamin Netanyahu and Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House. What can we expect?Also, new footage of Lindsey Graham before his death reveals more about his attitude to Iran.And how does Donald Trump do when he's delivering jokes that have been written for him?Produced in partnership with Times RadioKaty Balls, Washington editor and columnist, The Times and Sunday TimesCarolyn Quinn, presenter, Times RadioProducers: Tom Vigar, Amelia MelvinPicture: Getty Images

Andy Burnham and Donald Trump have had their first phone call. How did it go? Will President Trump find time to visit Manchester? And how is Ed Miliband's appointment as foreign secretary going down in Washington?Also, why has the US announced 50% tariffs on goods from Canada? And JD Vance and his wife Usha have had another baby, their fourth child. How is the Secret Service coping with Vance's growing family?Bonus episode from Times Radio.Hugo Rifkind, Times Radio presenterKaty Balls, Washington editor and columnist at The Times and The Sunday TimesProducer: Amelia MelvinPicture: Getty Images

As Andy Burnham takes over as prime minister, how will he get on with Donald Trump and what will their relationship mean for US-UK relations? President Trump wrote on Truth Social that the people of Aberdeen are dancing in the streets because Burnham will open up North Sea Oil, and will "make the United Kingdom, from a Poverty Stricken Disaster, to one of the Richest Countries anywhere in the World!" But is Burnham as enthusiastic about drilling as Trump thinks he is? And what other issues could make or break their relationship?After three US servicemen died over the weekend, will the US feel obliged to escalate the war with Iran to avenge their deaths? Is there a danger that they get locked into a cycle of escalation with Iran?Plus, does Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey set the lights flashing on Gerry's woke radar?Katy Balls, Washington editor and columnist at The Times and The Sunday TimesGerard Baker, columnist at The Times and editor at large at The Wall Street JournalProducers: Euan Dawtrey, Sophie DoldingExecutive producer: Molly GuinnessPicture: Getty ImagesAudio: Reuters, The Odyssey trailer

It's groundhog day in the White House, as Donald Trump reverts back to all out war with Iran, bombing essential targets and threatening escalation if Iran refuses to open the Strait of Hormuz. Is there any genuine optimism in Washington that the regime could fall—or is this 'hit em hard' attitude a cover for a foreign policy running out of options? If there is no appetite for real military action in US politics, are we left with an Iran War being used as a political statement rather than a coherent military strategy?Also in this episode: the Democratic Socialists of America. Centrist Democrats are making a stand against a group of socialists that include Zohran Mamdani and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, promising 'capitalism not socialism', but are they being pulled leftwards on the economy? Troy Jackson, aka Johnny Cash of the Allagash, is a Democratic Socialist, and is currently favourite to replace the disgraced Graham Platner as the candidate for Maine. Finally, Katy Balls and Gerard Baker look ahead to Trump's prime-time address on Thursday. White House aides are increasingly nervous; Trump is expected to use the broadcast to aggressively attack the integrity of US voting system. Is the President laying the ground to nullify the upcoming midterm elections in November?Katy Balls, Washington editor and columnist at The Times and The Sunday TimesGerard Baker, columnist at The Times and editor at large at The Wall Street JournalProducers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry KitsonExecutive producer: Molly GuinnessPicture: Handout photo by US Department of Defense via Getty Images (US sea drones strike a submarine and a ship maintenance facility on July 13, 2026 in an undisclosed area of Iran)Audio: Fox News, AP, CBS, https://www.facebook.com/TroyJacksonmaine, Reuters00:00 - Inside Trump's "Performance War"01:43 - Bombing Iran: The Battle for the Strait of Hormuz03:33 - A War with No Clear Way Out?05:13 - Trump Unleashed & The Legacy of Lindsey Graham06:36 - Military Strategy vs. Political Illusion in the Gulf10:51 - Trump's History Obsession & The Shocking Oil Market Reality15:25 - The Democratic Party's Sudden Lurch to the Left17:07 - Can Centrist Democrats Survive the Socialist Momentum?21:42 - The Fierce Battle Over Israel Aid & Speculation for 202823:57 - Meet Troy Jackson: The "Johnny Cash of the Allagash"25:34 - Trump's "Wild Card" Speech on Election Integrity28:07 - Laying the Groundwork to Nullify the Next Election?29:44 - "See You In Court" — The Legal War Ahead

Donald Trump has called the Iranians scum, as he calls off ceasefire talks. At the NATO summit in Ankara, his comments on Iran, Ukraine and more have once again put allies on edge. Nigel Farage has just returned from Washington to deepen his ties with Donald Trump – but is he also borrowing Trump's political playbook to distract from increased interests in his undeclared finances ahead of the looming by-election? Gerry unpacks Trump's surprising role in that World Cup red card controversy.Katy Balls, Washington editor and columnist at The Times and The Sunday TimesGerard Baker, columnist at The Times and editor at large at The Wall Street JournalProducers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry KitsonExecutive producer: Molly GuinnessPicture: Getty ImagesAudio: Reuters00:00 - Will Trump Pull Out of NATO? 00:41 - "They’re Scum" — Is the Iran Ceasefire Officially Over? 05:21 - NATO Summit Chaos: Trump Slams "Weak" European Allies 07:51 - The Absurd Battle for Greenland (Are We Planning for War?) 17:45 - Nigel Farage Resigns: Copied Straight From the Trump Playbook 26:30 - Trump’s Bizarre World Cup Intervention (The Secret FIFA Call) 31:46 - Why Trump’s Strongman Tactics Just Backfired

Vice-President JD Vance has said there is something very broken about British politics and that he hopes Andy Burnham can figure out how to get Britain back on track. He has spoken exclusively to Katy Balls for the Sunday Times.They also discussed:Social media spats: does he regret the childless cat ladies comment?His faith and how it's changed him.And has Donald Trump read his book?Katy Balls, Washington editor and columnist at The Times and The Sunday TimesGerard Baker, columnist at The Times and editor at large at The Wall Street JournalRead more: https://www.thetimes.com/us/american-politics/article/jd-vance-interview-katy-balls-gv9z738fc Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry KitsonExecutive producer: Molly GuinnessPicture: Getty ImagesAudio: Reuters, Fox News00:00 Introduction: Inside the Exclusive JD Vance Interview00:38 Is Britain Broken? JD Vance’s Blunt Take on UK Leadership01:47 The Truth Behind Vance's Fractured Relationship with Europe03:53 An Anglophile at Heart? Decoding Vance’s True Motives05:27 Revisiting the "Childless Cat Ladies" Controversy & Regrets06:39 A Millennial VP: Social Media Fights, Faith and Persona07:47 A Surprise Turn on Ukraine: Why Vance is Shifting Focus09:07 Has Donald Trump Read JD Vance’s New Book?10:30 The Road to 2028: Is JD Vance Too Polarising to Win?

Donald Trump has been thwarted by the Supreme Court over his plan to end birthright citizenship, prompting passionate reactions on both left and right. One Maga influencer has called for a ban on pregnant women travelling to the US and for the sterilisation of foreign visitors. Is the Trump v Barbara Supreme Court ruling evidence that the reports of the death of American democracy have been exaggerated?As America celebrates its 250th birthday at a time of bitter divisions in US politics, are there reasons to be cheerful about, well, the state of it?And another left-wing, anti-Israel candidate wins a Democratic primary. Melat Kiros, who has won her primary in Colorado, has said that calls for the elimination of the Israeli state should not be conflated with antisemitism. What does her win tell us about the direction of travel for the left in America, and about the future of relations between Israel and the US?Katy Balls, Washington editor and columnist at The Times and The Sunday TimesGerard Baker, columnist at The Times and editor at large at The Wall Street JournalProducers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry KitsonExecutive producer: Molly Guinness00:00 - Introduction: The State of It USA00:43 - Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Ban05:07 - King Charles, the Magna Carta, and Executive Power06:14 - The Maga Meltdown and the "USSR" Comparison11:09 - The Dangerous Precedent of Executive Overreach13:32 - America at 250: Celebrating a Deeply Divided Nation18:03 - The American State Fair and Polarised Realities21:05 - The Rise of Anti-Israel Sentiment on the Left and RightPicture: Getty ImagesAudio: Reuters, 9News