Amanpour and Company

News and Public Affairs Series / 3 Seasons

Featuring conversations with global leaders and decision makers on the issues affecting the world today, Amanpour and Company adds to the long tradition of public affairs programming that has been a hallmark of public media for decades.

Watch: S2023 E6121

26m 46s

The New Red Scare? Historian on McCarthyism and Parallels to Today

18m 27s

The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 was passed amid anti-communist fears during the early Cold War. That period of history is the focus of the new book "Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America." Author and reporter Clay Risen joins the show to discuss past political hysteria and what it can tell us about the present.

“The Calling:” A Look Inside the Emotional Journey of Medical School

18m 21s

From America's withdrawal from the WHO to the appointment of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of HHS, the public health sector has seen radical change since Trump's return to the Oval Office. The importance of healthcare is underscored in a new documentary, "The Calling: A Medical School Journey." Filmmaker Asako Gladsjo and Dr. Le’Shauna Phinazee join the show to discuss.

“We Are Worried:” The Future of Public Land Under Trump

17m 41s

The Trump administration is slashing key federal projects, and fears are growing that public lands — including iconic areas of natural beauty — could be devastated. In a conversation with Walter Isaacson, Carrie Besnette Hauser, President and CEO of The Trust for Public Land, explains how these sweeping cuts will impact America’s parks and why every community needs access to green spaces.

“A Tide of Suffering and Death:” NYT’s Nicholas Kristof on Musk’s USAID Cuts

18m 7s

A federal judge has halted the shutdown of USAID following relentless efforts by Elon Musk's DOGE to slash the agency's resources. Musk insists that no lives were lost from the pause in foreign aid. But New York Times Opinion columnist Nicholas Kristof reports otherwise. Kristof speaks to Hari Sreenivasan about the harrowing picture in Kenya and Sudan after USAID supply lines were cut.

“Everything Is Tuberculosis” John Green on Funding Cuts & the Fight to End TB

17m 34s

A federal judge in Maryland is blocking the Trump/Musk dismantling of USAID. Author John Green argues the Trump administration's cuts to foreign aid are disastrous for global health outcomes, especially for infectious diseases like tuberculosis. Green explains why TB is still so prevalent in his new book "Everything Is Tuberculosis." The author joins the show to discuss what can be done.

“Abundance:” Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson’s Bold Vision for Democrats

18m 2s

The Trump administration is creating a task force to identify federal lands suitable for building affordable homes. The initiative marks a first step by the Trump White House to address one of the worst housing shortages in decades. The housing crisis is a focal point of the new book "Abundance." Co-authors Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson join Walter Isaacson to discuss it.

Trump Targets Law Firms in a Series of Executive Orders

18m 7s

Another of President Trump's executive orders is under scrutiny: his termination of security clearances for two prominent law firms, both of which have represented his opponents. Mary McCord, former Acting Assistant Attorney General at the DOJ, speaks about the effect of these attacks on the legal system.

Losing Big: America’s Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling

17m 51s

A huge and potentially dangerous market is surging within the U.S.: sports gambling. The business has grown massively since a 2018 Supreme Court ruling allowed states to legalize it. Might there be a cost to people's lives? Author and historian Jonathan D. Cohen investigated the subject for his new book. He tells Michel Martin what he learned.

Pres. Trump Says the U.S. Doesn’t “Need” Canada. Is He Right?

17m 53s

In a trade war that is spiraling out of control, the gloves are off between the U.S. and Canada. Canada's next Prime Minister has promised to stand up to Trump. Eric Lascelles is Chief Economist of the Royal Bank of Canada Global Asset Management. He joins the show to look at what all this might mean.

Scott Galloway on Markets, Musk, and Trump’s “Weapons of Mass Distraction”

17m 38s

Scott Galloway believes there is method in Trump's "MAGA-nomics" -- from a tariff war to tax cuts for the rich. Galloway is an NYU professor, author and podcast host. He joins the show to break down what Trump's policies mean for the American economy.

COVID Five Years Later: From Lockdowns to Long COVID — and What Went Wrong

18m 3s

Five years ago today, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic and the world changed forever. Since then, there have been over 700 million cases and seven million deaths worldwide. As the COVID-19 Coordinator under President Biden, Dr. Ashish Jha helped lead the U.S. response. He joins the show to reflect on how the pandemic transformed society — and how it continues to impact us today.

Reid Hoffman on What Could Possibly Go Right With Our AI Future

17m 40s

Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, believes the list of potential benefits of artificial intelligence is long, even when weighed against the risks. He joins Walter Isaacson to talk about his new book "Superagency."

“Travel Is a Political Act:” Rick Steves on the “Hippie Trail”

18m 9s

”The hippie trail” was a legendary route for travelers, thousands of miles overland from Istanbul to Kathmandu. It's the journey that inspired the highly respected travel writer Rick Steves back in 1978. Now Steves is on an entirely different journey after battling prostate cancer. He tells Walter Isaacson why he believes travel is a vital force for peace.

Trump and the Press: Frank Sesno on the State of Journalism

17m 54s

As the Trump administration continues to exert pressure on the media, The New York Times editorial board has accused it of having a distorted view -- "banning words, phrases and ideas" to conform with the Trump version of free speech. Frank Sesno, former CNN Washington Bureau Chief and professor at GW's School of Media and Public Affairs, joins Michel Martin to discuss this worrying trajectory.

How Underground Schools Across the South Built the Civil Rights Movement

18m 18s

A book event intended to honor journalist Elaine Weiss was part of a recent string of event cancellations at the National Archives. Her book "Spell Freedom" focuses on four activists who laid the foundation of the Civil Rights Movement. Weiss believes this is a result of budget cuts and new leadership at the National Archives. The author discusses the relevance of her work in today's America.

The U.S.- Ukraine Minerals Deal: How Rare Earths Are Reshaping Geopolitics

17m 3s

A New York Times opinion piece argues that Trump is taking a page out of China's foreign policy playbook in his pursuit of a minerals deal with Ukraine. The article’s author, Gracelin Baskaran, is director of the Critical Minerals Security Program at CSIS. Baskaran says we’re entering "a new era of minerals diplomacy." She joins the show to discuss why leaders are going after these resources.

Former UK Foreign Secretary Reacts to Trump-Zelensky Oval Office Clash

4m 47s

After Trump's angry exchange with Zelensky, British PM Starmer hosted an emergency summit and announced that the UK and France were assembling a coalition to enforce a peace deal for Ukraine. The White House has signaled its approval, but Starmer has made it clear that a peace plan will never succeed without a US backstop. Former UK Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind joins the show to discuss.

Trump’s Anti-Trans Orders Are “Ultimately Going to Harm Us All,” Says Expert

18m 2s

Since taking office, President Trump has issued a number of executive orders targeting trans Americans. These orders cover issues from civil rights protections, to blocking gender-affirming medical care for trans youth, to restricting participation in sports leagues. Chase Strangio, ACLU's co-director for the LGBTQ & HIV Rights Project discusses with Hari Sreenivasan.

Plane Crashes, Wildfires, War: Processing Grief in a World of Constant Crises

17m 32s

With wars being waged around the world and tens of thousands of people dead, individual and collective grief have moved to the forefront of daily life. Renowned grief expert David Kessler argues that a world overwhelmed by constant crisis is becoming "grief illiterate." He joins the show to explain the importance of dedicating time for processing grief in an increasingly desensitized world.

Fmr. Navy Commander on Trump’s Purge of the Pentagon

18m 13s

The Pentagon is reeling from the recent firings of top military leaders and lawyers. The dismissals included Navy Admiral Lisa Franchetti and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General CQ Brown Jr. Theodore R. Johnson is a retired naval officer who served for two decades, and he says that this was "strictly a political move." Johnson speaks to Michel Martin about the potential impacts.

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