Reports on the state of President Trump's health have been conflicting and confounding, with profound implications for national security. To discuss this and to talk substance on foreign policy, Christiane speaks with Elliott Abrams, the State Department's Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela.

History will record the current era as one characterized by a dangerous erosion of truth and trust in government -- concurrent with a global pandemic, economic and environmental collapse, and multinational uprisings. To gain perspective on all of this, Christiane speaks with renowned historian Margaret MacMillan, whose new book "War: How Conflict Shaped Us" is earning respectful reviews.

Do we expect too much of the American president? Political journalist John Dickerson believes so, having interviewed many of the men to have held the office -- including the current occupant. In his New York Times bestseller, Dickerson reminds us of how the responsibility and influence of the office have expanded since its creation-- and the effect of all this on the public's expectations.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is one of the few world leaders who truly understands what President Trump faces following his COVID-19 diagnosis. Earlier this year, Johnson was rushed to intensive care due to the virus. Mark Landler of the New York Times joins the program to compare Trump's diagnosis to Johnson's.

This diagnosis is the most serious known health threat to a sitting U.S. president in decades. President Trump’s team says he will continue his duties while recovering, but with 32 days to go before the election, how will this impact the campaign? And what are the constitutional norms for such a situation? Christiane speaks with journalist Ryan Lizza and constitutional scholar Deborah Pearlstein.

When it comes to understanding how coronavirus spreads, most of us have heard about the R number – the average reproduction number of people infected by one other person. But Zeynep Tufekci says it’s more telling to look at a different letter: K. It’s the subject of her latest prescient article in The Atlantic, and she joins Christiane to explain.

President Trump and the First Lady have tested positive for the coronavirus and are now experiencing “mild symptoms” according to the White House. At 74 years old and clinically obese, the president is a high risk patient. Former acting surgeon general Boris Lushniak joins Christiane to explain the medical risks and assess how this infection could have reached the commander in chief.

Like President Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin initially played down the coronavirus – but his country has the world’s fourth highest number of cases. And when it comes to protecting himself, Putin has been far more rigorous than Trump. Correspondent Matthew Chance joins the show from Moscow with details of Putin’s own protective bubble.

Black History Month begins today in the UK. One person marking it in a unique way is Misan Harriman, who recently made history as the first Black male photographer to shoot the cover of British Vogue. The cover became a defining image of London’s Black Lives Matter protests, and now Harriman's auctioning it off for charity. He joins the show from the auction house Sotheby.

Too hot; jarring; exhausting. These are just some of the ways Republicans have described Tuesday’s debate, offering some rare pointed criticisms of their candidate. What does the Trump inner circle make of it? Media mogul Christopher Ruddy has known President Trump for two decades and joins the program to discuss.

Gloria Steinem has spent a lifetime fighting for women’s rights, and now her story has been adapted into a biopic, "The Glorias." She joins the program to discuss the film and the current political scene, along with veteran director Julie Taymor.

Julián Castro was the only Latino candidate to run for president this election season. He previously served as mayor of San Antonio, Texas and was secretary for housing and urban development under President Obama. Though a strong critic of Biden’s record on immigration, Castro tells Walter Isaacson why he believes the former vice president is the man for the job.

America and the world tuned in last night for the presidential debate--the first between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. The debate became a study in chaos, mostly due to interruptions by President Trump. What did American voters think? To discuss, Christiane speaks with pollster Frank Luntz and Kevin Sheekey, Michael Bloomberg’s former campaign manager.

While foreign policy was barely mentioned in Tuesday’s debate, one country did come up repeatedly: China. Each candidate accused the other of being soft on Beijing. Now, a new report from the House Intelligence Committee warns that Washington is ill-eqipped to counter a rising China. Committee chair Adam Schiff joins the program from D.C. to discuss.

Today, former FBI Director James Comey testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee over the FBI’s 2016 Russia investigation-- the latest twist for a man whose career was transformed by fractious relationships with both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Now, the tale is dramatized in a new miniseries. Emmy Award-winning actor Jeff Daniels plays the title role. He speaks with Hari Sreenivasan.

Europe is currently battling a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. France may have to lock down again, and Germans are facing new restrictions as their Chancellor, Angela Merkel, warns of a very difficult time ahead. To discuss all this, Christiane speaks with German lawmaker Norbert Röttgen and Gérard Araud, who previously served as French President Macron’s ambassador to the United States.

Concerns are mounting over voter suppression, and President Trump has refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power if he loses. A disputed election would likely be decided by the courts. But a host of supporting players, including state attorneys general, could become involved. Maura Healey occupies that office in Massachusetts and has vowed to battle any election interference.

After a three-year study, the Commission on the Practice of Democratic Citizenship has published 31 recommendations to help America -- termed a "nation in crisis." The bipartisan commission of academic, civic, and political leaders includes Eric Liu and Pete Peterson. They join Michel Martin to discuss their findings and recommendations for a way forward.

A new study shows Black and Latinx Americans are twice as likely to test positive for COVID-19 as white people. Global Health expert George Aumoithe recently explored the pandemic's racial disparities in a Washington Post article titled “The racist history that explains why some communities don’t have enough ICU beds.” He speaks with Michel Martin about the history of healthcare policy in the U.S.

In a time of crisis, one of the most overlooked issues is the critical global collapse in biodiversity. Today 64 world leaders, preparing for a United Nations summit on the issue this week, pledged to reverse the decline by 2030. But is it a case of too little, too late? To answer that question, Christiane speaks with National Geographic Explorers Dereck and Beverly Joubert.