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Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files
Global
146 episodes
World-renowned journalist Christiane Amanpour and ex-husband Jamie Rubin, a former US State Department official, unpack today’s defining global crises. Drawing on decades of insider experience in global affairs, reporting from conflict zones, and grilling world leaders, they explain how we ended up where we are – and where we might be going.
More about the show
Forget about a new world order – right now, there’s no world order. From Trump and Putin to the war in Ukraine, China’s global rise, and chaos in the Middle East, geopolitics has never been more dangerous or unpredictable. The Ex Files provides unparalleled insight into the issues keeping world leaders, and the rest of us, awake at night.
With searing honesty, jaw-dropping stories, and candid humour, this is the foreign policy podcast for our fractured age. They’re no longer married, but when it comes to current affairs, Christiane and Jamie still finish each other’s sentences.
Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files is a Global production, available every Tuesday and Thursday on Global Player, YouTube or wherever you get your shows. Make sure you subscribe so you never miss an episode.
For advertising opportunities on this podcast, email: GlobalStudiosSales@global.com
Episodes page 2 of 3
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US-Iran War: what is going on? With Tina Brown
Are the US & Iran really getting closer to a peace deal, as Trump claims? With the American blockade in the Strait of Hormuz now suspended, and talks between the two sides apparently imminent, Christiane and special…
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Q&A: US-Iran stalemate, can Trump be forced out & journalists under fire
In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked how much chaos President Trump could yet cause for the US, what it would take for him to be removed from office and why a country that so often intervenes abroad…
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Trump assassination attempt, Putin's threat to NATO & Iran Latest
The suspect might now be in custody, but after the latest assassination attempt against President Trump, Christiane & Jamie look at why there seems to be so much anger in America right now, and discuss how people can…
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Q&A: Is Iran's pain threshold higher than Trump's? Plus Hormuz blockade & Virginia redistricting
In this week’s Q&A, Christiane & Jamie are asked whether Donald Trump’s confrontational “Art of the Deal” approach with Iran follows the same pattern seen in his tariff battles - and why world leaders continue to…
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Are world leaders no longer afraid of Trump?
With so much uncertainty over negotiations and the future of the conflict between the US & Iran, Christiane reveals that people she's speaking to believe there could be a return to war at some point very soon.…
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Q&A: Could Trump be charged with war crimes?
In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked whether Donald Trump was drawn into conflict with Iran by Benjamin Netanyahu, what impact decreasing global support for Israel could have on US–Israel relations, and…
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Is Trump losing his marbles?
Is Donald Trump fit to be President and leader of the free world? With people increasingly questioning the Commander in Chief's mental acuity, Christiane and Jamie look at some of the wild swings in Trump’s recent…
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Q&A: Iran’s leverage, Hormuz tolls & will Trump leave NATO?
In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie discuss whether Trump’s handling of Iran has created a dangerous new source of power for Tehran - one that could end with Iran implementing tolls to re-open the Strait of…
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Can Trump and Iran reach a lasting deal?
What happens when Trump threatens to wipe out your civilisation? In this week’s episode, Christiane and Jamie discuss Trump’s ultimatum: re-open the Strait or he’ll target key infrastructure. If the Iranians don’t…
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Q&A: Trump’s Iran strategy, Putin’s gain and why allies are turning away
In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie examine what the Iran war could mean for the Republican primary - and for two of its most prominent voices on foreign policy, Marco Rubio and JD Vance. They discuss the…
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Is Trump about to invade Iran?
Are the US and Iran engaged in real negotiations, or is this all just posturing? In this episode, Christiane and Jamie break down the current state of negotiations, and why Trump’s threats won’t work. They also look…
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Q&A: Trump’s Iran "miscalculation", the bombardment of Lebanon & where’s the “Board of Peace”?
In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked to examine whether Donald Trump’s apparent miscalculation on the potential for Iranian regime change could, in a more cynical reading, amount to a “win-win” -…
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Escalate or negotiate: what will Trump do next?
Should we believe Trump when he claims the US has had 'productive' talks with Iran about ending the war? Christiane and Jamie unpick the President's recent statements and discuss whether he is now looking for a way to…
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Q&A: Trump vs NATO, Christiane in exile & where is the new Ayatollah?
In this week's Q&A, Christiane and Jamie tackle pressing questions about the Iran-U.S. tensions. They explore why President Trump is urging other nations to patrol the Strait of Hormuz despite the U.S. having the…
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How Trump broke the first rule of war - with Tina Brown
This week, Christiane is again joined by the legendary Tina Brown, author of the 'Fresh Hell' Substack, to dissect the countless mistakes and miscalculations made by Trump & Netanyahu in their Iran War so far. They…
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Q&A: Was Iran really an existential threat to the US?
On this week’s Q&A, the war in Iran takes centre stage once again. Christiane and Jamie are asked whether Iran has ever really been an existential threat to US national security, or if the regime’s threats of “Death to…
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Trump's Iran War: still no endgame
In this week's episode, Christiane and Jamie look at the unintended consequences of Trump's Iran War, and the damage the conflict is doing to the world order and global economy. Christiane questions whether Trump and…
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Q&A: Iran War special - who will replace the Ayatollah?
This week's Q&A episode is a special all about the ongoing war in the Middle East: Christiane & Jamie tackle your questions on everything from who is likely to succeed the late Ayatollah Khamenei as the leader of Iran,…
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Trump's Iran War: what's the actual plan?
In this special episode, Christiane gives her personal reaction to the killing of Ayatollah Khamanei and the dramatic events of the past few days, as she and Jamie try to make sense of America and Israel's war on Iran.…
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Q&A: The killing of “El Mencho”, Trump’s Chagos U-turn and rigged US midterms?
On this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked what the killing of ‘El Mencho’ - who was the boss of Mexico’s powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel and the country’s most wanted man - means for US–Mexico security…
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Should more people go to jail over the Epstein Files?
This week, Christiane questions why there have been so few legal consequences in America for those who are implicated in the Epstein Files, and she & Jamie look at whether we are ever likely to see more people go to…
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Q&A: Epstein Files ‘cover-up’ & Trump’s treatment of immigrants
This week, Christiane and Jamie are asked whether they agree with Hillary Clinton that there is an Epstein files “cover up” by the Trump administration and whether the files are being unlawfully drip-fed to the public.…
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Will Trump strike Iran, again?
As officials from Trump's top team and the Iranian regime prepare for another round of talks, Christiane reveals the warnings she was given by key diplomats at the Munich Security Conference about the chances of Trump…
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Q&A: The Epstein Files, Iran tensions & ICE at the Olympics
The Q&A has returned! This week, Christiane and Jamie are asked whether America's allies would involve themselves in potential US military strikes on Iran, and if not, what that reluctance might mean. They’re then…
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Iranian regime change, press freedom & Jimmy Lai
As the crackdown on dissidents and protesters continues in Iran, Christiane and Jamie discuss what it would actually take for the Ayatollah's Islamic regime to be overthrown - and whether there is any chance that Trump…
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Iran talks, Trump's election interference & ICE 'thuggery'
In this episode from Australia, Christiane reacts to the announcement of an imminent summit between the US and Iran in Istanbul, and gives her view on whether those talks are likely to achieve a meaningful…
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Billie Jean King: tennis, activism, and the fight for equality
In this episode, Christiane is joined by a special guest during her holiday in Australia: the legendary Billie Jean King. They discuss how Billie won her battle for equal prize money during her tennis career, how much…
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Q&A: Trump drops tariff threat & announces “future” Greenland deal
In today’s breaking Q&A special, Christiane and Jamie are asked about President Donald Trump's address to world leaders at the ongoing World Economic Forum in Davos. How will NATO states and “middle powers” such as…
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Will Trump tear the West apart over Greenland?
How far is Trump willing to go to make Greenland a part of America? And how much damage could the US President do to the West in the process? These are two of the key questions that Christiane and Jamie attempt to…
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Q&A: Iran's future, media blackouts & what happens if NATO falls apart?
Christiane and Jamie are asked whether they believe the current anti-government demonstrations in Iran could successfully topple the government, and if they don’t, what the future of the state could look like. They’re…
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Is the Iranian regime afraid of Trump's threats?
As Trump continues to threaten Iran with military action - and after he announced major tariffs on any countries doing business with the Islamic Republic - Christiane gives a personal, emotional reaction to the mass…
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Q&A: Greenland, Venezuela & a new era of American Imperialism?
Christiane and Jamie are back answering your questions! In regards to Donald Trump's de-facto takeover of Venezuela, they're asked to what extent oil actually incentivised the capturing of Nicolás Maduro, whether the…
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Trump 'kidnaps' Maduro and says he’ll run Venezuela: who's next?
After the New Year began with a coup that shook the world, Christiane and Jamie react to Trump's capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, and ask whether the extraordinary events in Caracas over the weekend mean…
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Breaking the MAGA spell & a NATO doctrine for journalists? Tina Brown on a turbulent 2025
The legendary Tina Brown - ex-Editor of Vanity Fair and now the writer of the Substack "Fresh Hell" - joins Christiane for a look back on a year like no other. They unpick Trump's Chief of Staff describing the…
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Q&A: The future of MAGA, life after Trump, and the FIFA Peace Prize
With the first cracks in MAGA’s unity beginning to show, Christiane and Jamie are asked what the future of the movement looks like and whether the Democratic Party will be strong enough to take advantage of those…
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2025: The year Trump ripped up the world order?
In this special episode, Christiane and Jamie sum up the impact Trump has had on the world in 2025 - and discuss whether this was the year the rules-based world order was abandoned for good. They run the rule over a…
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Q&A: Caribbean chaos, Hegseth’s future and time to close US bases in Europe?
In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked whether the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance between the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand could be disbanded over questions of the legality of Trump's…
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Does Trump's security strategy paint Europe as the enemy?
The Trump administration has finally published its National Security strategy - and it's left Christiane and Jamie baffled. This week, they discuss why, at a time of war in Ukraine, the President seems so keen to…
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Q&A: Global financial crash, Trump's Mamdani meeting & pardon for Netanyahu?
In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked about Benjamin Netanyahu’s request to the Israeli president for a pardon from the long-running corruption trial he faces, for which he’s pleaded not guilty to charges…
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Is Pete Hegseth ordering war crimes in the Caribbean?
With Congress now formally looking into accusations that the War Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has asked US forces to carry out illegal orders in the Caribbean, Christiane and Jamie explain the background to the story and…
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Q&A: Trump’s “bullying” of reporters, the Saudi Crown Prince & arrests over the Epstein Files?
In this week’s Q&A, in the wake of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia’s meeting with Donald Trump at the White House, Christiane and Jamie are asked how the US should best deal with regimes that, despite condemnable…
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Why is Trump trying to make Ukraine sign a "surrender document"?
Why does Trump think he can force Ukraine to accept a “peace plan” that hands Putin almost everything he wants? In this episode, Christiane explains why the latest US-backed proposals and Trump's pressure campaign are…
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Q&A: Trump’s Epstein Files U-turn & the “dark money” controlling politics
In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked to explain the potential rationale behind Donald Trump’s U-turn on the Epstein files. The bill ordering the release of the files has passed in the House of…
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Bosnia 30 Years On: How Did The Genocide End?
Christiane reflects on the 30th anniversary of the end of the Bosnian War, revealing why current world leaders could learn valuable lessons from how that conflict ended when it comes to Ukraine and the Middle East. She…
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Q&A: Trump vs the BBC, plus Mayor Mamdani & the future of Israel's left
In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked about the events that led to Donald Trump threatening to sue the BBC for $1bn. How serious an act is it to edit a video of the President in a way that could be…
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Esther Perel: why the world is more divided than ever
This week, the famed couples' therapist Esther Perel joins Christiane for a special episode. Ahead of the Holiday season, they discuss why families and world leaders seem to be more polarised than ever by politics and…
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Q&A: Could Trump invade Canada & has the US lost its soft power?
In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked how NATO states would react, militarily, if Donald Trump’s America were to invade Canada. Assuming Article 5 would be invoked, would NATO then allow US allies to come…
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Is the world a step closer to a nuclear confrontation?
Putin says Russia has just successfully tested a new type of nuclear-powered weapon. China has doubled the size of its nuclear arsenal in the last five years - and shows no signs of slowing down. Meanwhile, Trump is…
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Q&A: New York Mayoral election & could Kamala Harris succeed Trump?
In this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked what they think about the announcement from Kamala Harris that she’s considering running for president again - and how they think she’d do. Christiane and Jamie are…
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Why is Pete Hegseth trying to silence the Pentagon Press?
The US Defence Secretary is asking journalists to "make a pact with the devil" says Christiane this week, as she and Jamie discuss why Pete Hegseth seems so intent on censoring the Pentagon Press. Does the former Army…
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