Épisodes

  • The volatile value of brand Trump
    Apr 15 2026

    Today we’re talking about how U.S. President Donald Trump's touch is backfiring, both at home and abroad, as Trump loomed large over two recent international elections.


    On Monday, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney clinched a majority government, a win being attributed in part to widespread anti-Trump sentiment among voters.


    And over the weekend in Hungary, Trump’s close ally and fellow right-wing populist leader Viktor Orbán was defeated after 16 years in power in a landmark election. Just days before that, U.S. Vice-President JD Vance was in Budapest campaigning for Orbán on behalf of the Trump administration.


    CBC’s Washington correspondents Willy Lowry and Katie Simpson, along with Radio-Canada’s U.S. correspondent Louis Blouin, report on the volatile value of Trump’s brand.

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    32 min
  • From ‘a whole civilization will die tonight’ to a 2-week ceasefire
    Apr 8 2026

    The world held its breath Tuesday as U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to bomb civilian infrastructure if Iran did not meet a deadline that night to open the Strait of Hormuz. Then, the same day, he accepted a Pakistan-brokered deal for a two-week ceasefire.


    After inciting outrage and then abruptly halting the war, what exactly has Trump accomplished in Iran? CBC’s Washington correspondents Katie Simpson, Willy Lowry and Paul Hunter try to find an answer.

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    28 min
  • On the road with CBC’s Washington correspondents
    Apr 1 2026

    Reporting on U.S. politics sometimes means leaving D.C. From war in Iran to whirlwind diplomatic meetings in France to a moon-bound mission in Florida, the CBC's Washington correspondents trade their seats two blocks from the White House for a trio of windows into the world.


    Willy Lowry, Katie Simpson and Paul Hunter take us behind the scenes on their reporting and share what we can learn about the biggest stories in American politics and Canada-U.S. relations when we look at them from an outside of Washington perspective.

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    39 min
  • How the midterms are already shaping everything
    Mar 25 2026

    Winning is a word U.S. President Donald Trump likes to hear, and while midterm elections are months away, the November vote is definitely driving his decisions today.


    With the cost of living and gas prices continuing to soar, the midterms are a chance for voters to weigh in on whether Trump has delivered on his promise to put America first, considering his administration's war with Iran and other operations stretching beyond the U.S. borders.


    CBC's Washington correspondents Paul Hunter, Willy Lowry and Katie Simpson bring us up to speed on how the midterms are influencing the political calculus, what they're watching for and why the outcome of this vote is so crucial to Republicans and Democrats alike.

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    28 min
  • Trump’s coalition of the pressured
    Mar 18 2026

    “WE DO NOT NEED THE HELP OF ANYONE!” This post by President Donald Trump is one of the many mixed messages sent from his Truth Social account this week. It contrasts with his earlier appeals for world leaders, including NATO countries such as Canada, to step up and help defend the critically important Strait of Hormuz.


    As the war in the Middle East enters its third week, CBC’s Washington correspondents Willy Lowry, Paul Hunter and Katie Simpson take a look at Trump’s attempts at political peer pressure and how world leaders are responding to his ever-shifting demands.


    Correction: In a previous version of this episode, during the listener question segment, we miscalculated the number of Senate votes needed to impeach the president. Two thirds of the Senate would equal 67 votes, not 60 votes as was stated. This has been corrected.

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    26 min
  • Iran, oil and Trump’s political gamble
    Mar 11 2026

    As the U.S. war in the Middle East continues, gas prices are on the rise and American voters are paying attention. Affordability remains a key issue, and President Donald Trump’s decision to wage war on Iran is drawing criticism not only from Democrats, but from within his MAGA base.


    As the November midterms approach, will the war overseas lead to a referendum on the Trump administration at home?


    CBC’s Washington correspondents Paul Hunter, Willy Lowry and Katie Simpson unpack the economic cost of war on Iran — and ask whether Americans seem willing to pay.

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    27 min
  • Trump's 'no rules' war on Iran
    Mar 4 2026

    Reactions to the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran are mixed. Members of Congress are accusing President Donald Trump of starting an illegal war, questioning why he failed to seek congressional approval ahead of the strikes. Meanwhile, U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the military intervention will follow 'no stupid rules of engagement.' The operation has put U.S. allies in a tricky position. Many — including Canada — have said there is some validity in targeting Iranian nuclear sites. But how far does that support go?


    With all eyes on the Middle East, CBC’s Washington correspondents Willy Lowry, Paul Hunter and Katie Simpson walk us through what has become yet another way Trump is testing his executive powers.

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    27 min
  • Is America really winning?
    Feb 25 2026

    Clocking in at 108 minutes, U.S. President Donald Trump's state of the union address was the longest in U.S. history, with the only mention of Canada coming during a tribute to the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team. It’s all part of the 'U.S. is winning' message Trump is trying to push ahead of November's midterm elections. But is it working?


    The CBC's Washington correspondents Katie Simpson, Paul Hunter and Willy Lowry unpack what it all means for the year ahead in U.S. politics and Canada-U.S. relations.

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    27 min