Americast — Americanswers…on 5 Live! Is Trump Standing Up to Putin?

BBC News | March 17, 2025
Hosts: Sarah Smith, Justin Webb, Anthony Zurcher, Marianna Spring
Special Edition: Listener Q&A on US politics — Trump, Putin, Ukraine, Canada, eggs, constitutional crises, and more.

Overview

This episode of Americast (in the Americanswers format) brings the BBC’s US politics team to BBC Five Live, answering listener questions on the defining stories in America right now — with a focus on the imminent Trump-Putin call about Ukraine, Trump’s approach to Russia, executive defiance of court orders, "eggflation," and quirky topics like making Canada the 51st state. The panel, joined by Matt and a rotating cast of listeners, examines both headline issues and social media narratives, bringing their trademark humor and clarity to complex world events.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. High-Stakes Trump-Putin Call: Ukraine Ceasefire & Potential Consequences

(Starts at 04:12)

Listener Question:
"What could the consequence be if Putin doesn't accept or adhere to any ceasefire? How could Trump, who is the arch dealmaker, react if he fails? And how could this escalate tensions still further?"

Panel’s Analysis

• Sarah Smith (04:40):

  • Trump is set to speak with Putin — the agenda is already focused on ceasefire terms, division of territories, and key infrastructure.
  • Trump hints at increased sanctions if Putin won’t sign a ceasefire but is unlikely to order US military action.
  • Ultimate leverage is “limited” without military threat; if Putin refuses a deal, US influence is constrained.
  • If Putin refuses cooperation, Trump could become “very, very annoyed”, risking a less favorable deal for Russia, but actual escalation options are unclear.

  "Every time Vladimir Putin pisses him off, if indeed he does, he prejudices the chance that a US-brokered deal might be more favorable to Ukraine…" — Sarah Smith (05:13)

• Anthony Zurcher (06:31):

  • Dialogue itself is a positive step after US-Ukraine talks in Saudi Arabia.
  • Trump has repeatedly given Putin "the benefit of the doubt," deflecting negative reports and mirroring Putin’s messages about Ukraine.
  • Trump’s likely response, even to further objections, is not open anger or retaliatory escalation.

  "One of the things Donald Trump has time and time and again done is seem to give Vladimir Putin the benefit of the doubt." — Anthony Zurcher (06:57)

• Justin Webb (07:56):

  • Putin is under internal and external pressure; Russia’s military advances come with huge costs.
  • Trump can use both "stick" (sanctions) and "carrot" (offering Russia international reintegration), incentivizing some cooperation.
  • Investors are already eyeing the potential reopening of Russian markets.

  "So I'm not necessarily... I think we should be slightly cautious about thinking it's all got to be stick or else nothing happens. I think the carrot is there…" — Justin Webb (09:01)

2. If The Trump Peace Treaty Favors Putin — Could Ukraine or Europe Say No?

(09:07)

• Justin Webb & Anthony Zurcher:

  • Europe is highly unlikely to reject a US-brokered treaty; the rift would be too significant.
  • Ukraine could choose to fight on, particularly if the deal is unfavorable and with ongoing weapons support.
  • Ukrainian resilience and self-produced weapons (notably drones) are a factor.

  "What a rift that would be. I could see Ukraine rejecting it. I could see them fighting on." — Justin Webb (09:45)

3. Inside the US & Social Media: Trump, Zelensky, and Perceptions of the Ukraine War

(10:27)

• Marianna Spring on Her "Undercover Voters":

  • Anti-Trump feeds slam Trump as “best friends with Putin,” but that narrative is less persuasive now amid rumored US-Russia frictions.
  • Pro-Trump voters’ feeds remain focused on peace, supporting Trump’s narrative of ending costly foreign aid.

  "Social media is kind of allergic to nuance and so a lot of what we're discussing doesn't get anywhere near their feeds." — Marianna Spring (12:00)

4. Why Does Trump Talk about Making Canada the 51st State?

(13:02)

• Question from Stephen in Berkshire: Why is Trump so obsessed with this idea?

• Anthony Zurcher (13:31):

  • Initially a joke, but Trump points to resource wealth and "artificial" borders.
  • He shows little concern over the political likelihood of millions of new Democratic voters; focus is on dominance and access to resources, not on electoral arithmetic.

  "I don't think Donald Trump has ever thought that far ahead... He looks at Canadian natural resources... all those things that be much more useful if they were incorporated into the United States..." — Anthony Zurcher (13:48)

• Sarah Smith (15:04):

  • Trump is irked by America’s trade deficit with Canada (and with the EU generally), fueling “dominate the hemisphere” rhetoric.

  "He thinks that's the entire purpose of the European Union. So, yeah, if Canada were to join them, that would probably redouble his efforts to try and do something or other with Canada." — Sarah Smith (15:15)

5. Eggs, ‘Eggflation’ and How America Is Talking About Groceries

(16:33)

• Egg Prices and Trump’s Boasts: Trump claims credit for a 35% drop in wholesale egg prices (17:22), although this isn’t fully passed onto consumers yet.

• Sarah Smith (17:28):

  • Egg prices are indeed down wholesale but still catching up in shops; Washingtonians face limits on egg purchases due to shortages.

  "Donald Trump is absolutely correct when he thinks that the prices are moving in the right direction for him." — Sarah Smith (17:40)

• Egg Smuggling: The hosts joke about the new cross-border economy — more eggs are being smuggled from Mexico into the US as eggs are cheaper there (18:10).

• Marianna Spring (18:56):

  • Trump is highly attuned to symbolic issues like eggs, knowing it resonates with voters in a tangible, personal way.

  "Something very specific like that is just such a... effective way of people saying, hang on a second, this thing you said would be better. Is it better yet?" — Marianna Spring (18:58)

6. Constitutional Clash: Deporting Venezuelans in Defiance of a Court Order

(21:26)

• Case: Trump administration deported several hundred Venezuelans to prisons in El Salvador despite a federal court order.

• Justin Webb:

  • The administration claimed the court lacked authority and that the flights had left US jurisdiction.

• Sarah Smith (22:43):

  • Supreme Court ruled presidents can’t face criminal prosecution for official acts; Trump couldn’t be personally charged.
  • This situation may constitute a genuine constitutional crisis—executive openly defying the judiciary.

  "We've been talking about, are we in a constitutional crisis for weeks... It's only at the point at which the White House is ignoring court rulings that you could even claim it was a constitutional crisis." — Sarah Smith (23:35)

• Anthony Zurcher (24:07):

  • Historic parallel: Andrew Jackson’s “now let’s see [the Supreme Court] enforce it.”
  • Courts could find Trump officials or agencies in contempt; potential fines or jail time — but Trump could pardon anyone found criminally liable.

  "The Supreme Court could conceivably... issue a ruling finding the Trump administration in contempt of court. That's something that they can do." — Anthony Zurcher (24:14)

• Marianna Spring (25:42):

  • The entire event is playing out as a social media/Twitter feud, illustrating the White House’s combative, public-facing style:

  "This is now also starting to play out... in almost like a sort of Twitter feud, a Twitter spat, which perhaps comes as no surprise given that Elon Musk, X's owner, has favored this sort of form of diplomacy..." — Marianna Spring (25:43)

7. Why Don’t Past US Presidents Criticize Trump?

(26:56)

• Justin Webb (27:25):

  • Previous presidents have effectively "given up" trying to counter Trump; conventional politics is ineffective.
  • Even Barack Obama and George W. Bush remain silent, reflecting Trump’s unique position in US political life.

  "Trump is just something that is impossible to oppose in conventional politics... they've kind of given up." — Justin Webb (27:25)

8. Listener Lighthearted Qs: Life in DC, Eggs & More

(29:23)

• Sarah Smith answers about life in DC versus Glasgow (29:38):

  • Loves living in Washington, but locals don’t quite share Glaswegians’ humor.

  "They're not as funny as Ouija's [Glaswegians]. I mean, there is just essentially, you know, a sense of humor that is very, very special and cracks me up and they just don't quite get it here in America." — Sarah Smith (29:58)

9. Ireland’s Influence on the Trump White House

(30:59)

• Listener Question: Will Ireland have influence with Trump?

• Anthony Zurcher (31:24):

  • MMA fighter Conor McGregor, controversial due to anti-immigration rhetoric and a recent civil case loss, visited the White House.
  • Trump’s Irish connections may be limited to individuals advocating for hardline policies.
  • Trump administration now aligns with non-governmental Irish actors, sidestepping traditional channels.

  "He was talking to reporters... said he warned that Ireland was losing its Irishness because of immigration... So yes, I think Donald Trump may have an affinity for Ireland, but the people he's going to be talking to might be pushing him to bring a little bit of MAGA back to Ireland." — Anthony Zurcher (31:31)

• Justin Webb (33:00):

  • Historically, Irish Americans are a key constituency, but Trump is unlikely to grant Irish government special access.

  "To answer, certainly from my perspective, Rosie's question directly... what influence, if any, will Ireland now have with Donald Trump? I think the answer with Donald Trump is zero, actually." — Justin Webb (33:30)

• Sarah Smith (34:13):

  • Noted Trump has a golf course in Ireland, but more in Scotland — “might always win”.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "Social media is kind of allergic to nuance and so a lot of what we're discussing doesn't get anywhere near their feeds." — Marianna Spring (12:00)
• "We've been talking about, are we in a constitutional crisis for weeks... It's only at the point at which the White House is ignoring court rulings that you could even claim it was a constitutional crisis." — Sarah Smith (23:35)
• "Trump is just something that is impossible to oppose in conventional politics... they've kind of given up." — Justin Webb (27:25)
• "He was talking to reporters... said he warned that Ireland was losing its Irishness because of immigration... So yes, I think Donald Trump may have an affinity for Ireland, but the people he's going to be talking to might be pushing him to bring a little bit of MAGA back to Ireland." — Anthony Zurcher (31:31)
• "I think the answer with Donald Trump is zero, actually." — Justin Webb (33:30, on Ireland’s influence in the Trump White House)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:10 — Show kicks off; teaser of Trump-Putin call Q&A.
• 04:12 — Listener Alison’s question: consequences if Putin rejects ceasefire.
• 06:31 — Evaluating Trump-Putin dialogue; benefit of the doubt for Putin.
• 09:07 — Scenario: If the Trump deal is too pro-Putin.
• 10:27 — American public/social media views; undercover voters insights.
• 13:02 — Why is Trump obsessed with annexing Canada?
• 16:33 — Eggs, price drops, and grocery politics.
• 21:26 — Venezuelans’ deportation in possible breach of a court order.
• 22:43 — Legal and constitutional ramifications of ignoring the courts.
• 26:56 — Why have ex-presidents stopped criticizing Trump?
• 29:23 — Lighthearted Qs: DC vs Glasgow, brunch culture.
• 30:59 — St. Patrick’s Day: Irish influence in the Trump era.

Summary

In classic Americast style, the team brings sharp, accessible analysis to a dizzying array of topics — top-line geopolitics, the nitty-gritty of constitutional law, and the powerful (sometimes ridiculous) symbolism of consumer prices, all animated by listeners' real questions. The hosts demystify the apparent paradoxes of Trump’s foreign and domestic policy, scrutinize his performative stance on issues from Canada to eggs, and highlight the growing chasm between White House actions and traditional legal/political norms. All of this is peppered with listener humor, panel banter, and moments of genuine clarity for those seeking to understand America today.

For more, contact or contribute via americast@bbc.co.uk or on Discord.