Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files

There's mounting opposition within Israel to the ongoing offensive in Gaza. Are Israel's international allies approaching a tipping point?Plus, in recent weeks, Harvard has become the focal point of Donald Trump’s escalating attacks on elite institutions. What’s it actually like on campus amid the political firestorm? Christiane shares the precautions she took for her visit to Harvard last week - including taking a burner phone - and she and Jamie unpack whether the President’s criticisms have any merit - or are just political theatre.Jamie also reveals the contents of a confidential email from Secretary of State Rubio that’s been circulating through U.S. embassies. What does it signal about a broader crackdown on academic institutions, and what could the long-term fallout be?Contact us at: amanpourpod@global.comFor more content, please follow us:Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpodX: https://x.com/AmanpourPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-PresentsBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social

In this week’s bonus episode, Christiane and Jamie tackle your questions - from whether Trump poses a real threat to American democracy, to the media’s impact on elections, and whether they’ve ever had to back a message they personally disagreed with.They also share the story of how they first met and began dating - plus, the surprising twist that led to Christiane being forcibly removed by Serbian bodyguards.Do you have a question you’d like Christiane and Jamie to answer on the next bonus episode? Send it in on social media @amanpourpod or email amanpourpod@global.comContact us at: amanpourpod@global.comFor more content, please follow us:Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPodInstagram: www.instagram.com/amanpourpodX: x.com/AmanpourPodFacebook: www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-PresentsBlueSky: bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social

Another week, another tense Oval Office meeting between President Trump and a fellow world leader. Christiane and Jamie react to the jaw-dropping scenes from Trump's meeting with South Africa's President, where Cyril Ramaphosa was told he was allowing a genocide of white farmers to carry on unchecked.Christiane compares the encounter to when President Zelensky was ambushed by Trump and Vice President JD Vance back in February, and Jamie reveals what senior Republicans have said to him in private about Trump's foreign policy. Christiane also shares the story of when she very nearly interviewed Nelson Mandela, and she and Jamie reflect on who stands to gain most if the US abandons its allies. Contact us at: amanpourpod@global.comFor more content, please follow us:Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpodX: https://x.com/AmanpourPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-PresentsBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social

In this week’s bonus episode, Christiane and Jamie answer listener questions for the first time! They respond to your questions about the latest in the Middle East, as Israel’s allies continue to criticise the country over its latest offensive in Gaza. Plus Christiane and Jamie reveal more about the challenges of balancing their high pressure jobs and their relationship while they were married, and Jamie identifies President Trump’s most likely route to a Nobel Peace Prize. Do you have a question you’d like Christiane and Jamie to answer on the next bonus episode? Send it in on social media @amanpourpod or email amanpourpod@global.comContact us at: amanpourpod@global.com For more content, please follow us:Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpodX: https://x.com/AmanpourPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-PresentsBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social

After Vladimir Putin's theatrical no-show at last week's peace summit in Istanbul, Christiane and Jamie try to answer the question which is giving world leaders and diplomats sleepless nights: what will it take for the Russian leader to end his invasion of Ukraine? They debate whether a meeting between Putin and President Trump could really open the door to peace, or whether it would simply play into the Kremlin's hands. And they ask whether the war would be any closer to ending if Joe Biden were still in the Oval Office. Christiane shares behind-the-scenes stories from her documentary Tsar Putin, produced long before the world grasped the full scope of his ambitions - and explains why its warnings now feel chillingly prophetic. And Jamie reveals what it was like to sit across the table from Putin when he was part of the first US delegation to meet him. Christiane and Jamie also react to the news of Biden's cancer diagnosis, and question whether there was really a 'cover-up' of his failing mental faculties by White House officials. They share stories of their personal relationships with the former President, and disagree strongly over whether he could and should have done more to support Ukraine while he was still in office. Contact us at: amanpourpod@global.comFor more content, please follow us:Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPod Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpodX: https://x.com/AmanpourPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-PresentsBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social

In this first bonus Q&A episode, Christiane and Jamie ask each other questions they’ve always wanted to know the answers to! Hear about why their marriage was so controversial when they first got together, and whether they think they could ‘get away with it’ now. Christiane talks about her first experiences of reporting from a warzone, and opens up about the rare occasions when she’s lost her composure during a high-profile interview. Meanwhile, Jamie reveals some of his regrets over US foreign policy decisions he was involved in, and which politician he most admired during his long career. Next week, they’ll be answering your questions! Email them in to amanpourpod@global.com or to ask them on social media @amanpourpod on all major platforms.For more content, please follow us:Watch us: https://www.youtube.com/@AmanpourPodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/amanpourpodX: https://x.com/AmanpourPodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Christiane-Amanpour-PresentsTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@amanpourpodBlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/amanpourpod.bsky.social

The discussion dives deep into the complexities of Middle Eastern peace efforts, revealing covert negotiations and the struggles of past attempts, including the Oslo Accords. There’s an entertaining recount of an awkward live interview with Yasser Arafat, shedding light on the challenges of discussing sensitive politics. The hosts ponder the potential for Trump to broker peace amid ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises, questioning whether unpredictability could lead to resolution or deeper divides. Personal anecdotes weave through the analysis, enriching the conversation.

Christiane Amanpour launches her first ever podcast! The world-renowned journalist presents 'The Ex Files' alongside her ex-husband Jamie Rubin, a former US State Department official under Presidents Clinton and Biden.From Trump and Putin to the war in Ukraine, from the rise of China as a global superpower to chaos in the Middle East, geopolitics has never been more dangerous or unpredictable. This isn't a new world order - right now, there is no world order. Each week, Christiane and Jamie unpack one of today’s defining global crises, drawing on decades of insider experience in global affairs, reporting from conflict zones, and grilling world leaders, to explain how we ended up where we are.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 foreign policy, Christiane and Jamie still finish each other’s sentences.The first episode launches May 13th, with new episodes every Tuesday and bonus Q&A episodes on Thursdays. Available on Global Player or wherever you get your podcasts.