Stateside with Kai and Carter

Recent episodes

1. Will the US midterm elections be free and fair? from Stateside with Kai and Carter

   Jul 31, 202640 min

   With Republicans' chances in the midterms looking shaky, Donald Trump is increasingly trying to rewrite the rules that govern US elections. Voting rights groups say he's really laying the groundwork to suppress voters. Trump has already moved to change mail-in voting, but he now wants Congress to pass the Save America Act, which includes strict voter ID restrictions. He's also accused China of interfering in the 2020 election. (Trump didn't back up that claim with evidence.) Host Kai Wright speaks with Garrett Epps, legal affairs editor at Washington Monthly, about the threat to US elections and what voters can do to protect them. Read Garrett Epps' story in Washington Monthly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2. Is Iran a ‘forever war’? from Stateside with Kai and Carter

   Jul 29, 202632 min

   After a lull in fighting, airstrikes between the US and Iran resumed Wednesday, killing at least 20 members of Iraq’s popular mobilization force. The conflict between the US and Iran has now entered its fifth month, with no obvious conclusion in sight. Analysts have warned that the latest escalations are pushing the Middle East region into "unchartered territory". Carter Sherman is joined by the Guardian’s senior international correspondent Julian Borger and Deepa Parent , an independent journalist who reports on Iran, to answer the question: is this a forever war? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3. How Trump made it harder to fight the cyclospora parasite outbreak from Stateside with Kai and Carter

   Jul 27, 202633 min

   A parasite called cyclospora has sickened thousands of people across at least 41 states and prompted waves of headlines about weeks-long "explosive diarrhea". But as Guardian health contributor and reporter Melody Schreiber tells host Carter Sherman , Donald Trump's cuts to the CDC and FDA have kneecapped the agencies' ability to contain the dangerous outbreak – which is now growing rapidly. Melody and Carter trace one food supplier's role in the outbreak, discuss the future of public health and reveal tips for safe eating and cooking. Read Melody Schreiber's reporting in the Guardian about cyclospora: Confusing product recall adds to US cyclospora outbreak uncertainty CDC cuts leave US less prepared for disease outbreaks, former officials warn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4. She spent years trying to be thin. What happened when she bulked instead? from Stateside with Kai and Carter

   Jul 24, 202637 min

   After years of trying to be skinny, Guardian reporter Madeleine Aggeler did a 180 and decided to 'bulk'. Bulking, or gaining weight on purpose to get stronger, challenged everything she had been taught about her body, and transformed her relationship to food. Madeleine speaks to Carter Sherman about her owns body image struggles, and they discuss why strength training and weightlifting has become so popular for women. Is this actually healthy, or just an extension of toxic diet culture? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5. Gaza. Mitch McConnell. Is Congress finally being forced to change? from Stateside with Kai and Carter

   Jul 22, 202642 min

   Earlier this year, Congress reached a depressing milestone: 86% of Americans, a record high, disapproved of its job performance. But this summer, there have been some signs that shifts are underway. On the left, House Democrats have just voted in unprecedented numbers to withhold military aid from Israel, and across the country, progressive candidates are running competitive primary campaigns that are energizing a base fed up with the status quo. On the right, Republicans are reeling from the sudden death of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, one of President Trump's staunchest supporters, and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell remains sequestered following a health scare in June, raising questions of if a changing of the guard might be underway there too. Kai Wright and Carter Sherman are joined by Guardian Washington bureau chief David Smith and Midwest political correspondent Rachel Leingang to discuss gerontocracy, transparency, the rise of the Democratic Socialists of America, and just how much of an inflection point this summer might be for both parties. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6. Mary Beard on The Odyssey, Trump's America and how empires fall from Stateside with Kai and Carter

   Jul 20, 202648 min

   Christopher Nolan’s new adaption of The Odyssey is an absolute monster of a hit, grossing $264m in its opening weekend. But celebrated classicist Mary Beard tells host Carter Sherman that while Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem comes with plenty of action-packed battle scenes, the film is missing the original's "elusive sexiness" – and its approach to women left her disappointed. Carter and Beard also explore why rightwing politicians – and people like Elon Musk – are so obsessed with co-opting the ancient world. They ask: who gets to own the classics? Commentary and criticism about Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey from the Guardian: The Odyssey’s review Christopher Nolan interview Will women also love The Odyssey? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7. Who won the World Cup? from Stateside with Kai and Carter

   Jul 17, 202651 min

   The 2026 World Cup final has not happened yet, but we already know that there were some clear winners (and total losers) during the tournament. And we’re not just talking about what happened on the pitch. Ahead of Sunday’s game, host Carter Sherman speaks with Max Rushden – host of the Guardian’s Football Weekly podcast – about Argentina’s win over England in the semi-finals, why Lionel Messi is probably “the greatest footballer ever", and what we should be looking out for as Argentina takes on Spain in the final. Then, Guardian US soccer editors Alexander Abnos and Ella Brockway break down some of the most memorable moments of the tournament – and decide who (or what) won the World Cup vibes contest. Spoiler: it's not Donald Trump. Correction added 19 July 2026 : This episode says that Cape Verde player Josimar Jose Evora Dias, known as Vozinha, was recruited via LinkedIn. In fact it was his teammate, Roberto "Pico" Lopes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8. How ICE became so deadly from Stateside with Kai and Carter

   Jul 15, 202643 min

   Over the past ten days, ICE officials have killed two immigrants in separate shootings in Texas and Maine. While the Department of Homeland Security has claimed that the officers were acting in self-defense and the interest of public safety, no evidence has emerged to support those accounts, and outrage is mounting over these latest examples of violence from the agency. Kai Wright speaks with Guardian immigration reporter José Olivares about the killings of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, how their deaths reflect a broader pattern of brutality animating President Trump’s mass deportation agenda, and what accountability for them might look like. ‘Fear, intimidation, violence’: calls mount to remove ICE from US streets after agents killed two men ‘New terrifying levels’: 10 people fatally shot by immigration officials in Trump’s second term Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9. The western US is running out of water. What happens next? from Stateside with Kai and Carter

   Jul 13, 202640 min

   Thanks to pollution, overpopulation and the climate crisis, Earth is facing a terrifying new crisis: an irreversible "water bankruptcy". Now, fights over water have ramped up across the world, including in the US west. Host Carter Sherman speaks with Guardian extreme weather correspondent Gabrielle Canon about the battle over the future of the Colorado River Basin, whose water sustains some 40 million people across seven states – but is now drying up. Gabrielle recently rafted down the basin's last "wild" river, the Yampa. Damming or diverting the Yampa could bring the west some much-needed hydration. It may also devastate the vast natural ecosystem that relies on the river's free-flowing waters. Also: Carter and Kai Wright react to the death of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. Gabrielle Canon’s story on the Yampa River Guardian stories on Lindsey Graham: Analysis on Graham as dealmaker The scramble to replace Graham Lindsey Graham in his own words Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10. Why Graham Platner wasn’t the answer to the Democrats’ men problem from Stateside with Kai and Carter

    Jul 10, 202643 min

    Earlier this week, Graham Platner, the Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine, was accused by a former partner of sexual assault. Platner denies the allegations, but on Wednesday, he suspended his campaign, accusing the “political establishment” of tanking his candidacy. But this is only the most recent scandal to have surfaced around Platner’s campaign — over the past year, the oyster farmer and combat veteran was revealed to have a tattoo that closely resembled a Totenkopf (a widely recognized Nazi symbol), a long paper trail of racist, misogynist and homophobic posts on Reddit, and in June, the New York Times published allegations from three former partners about Platner’s “toxic” behavior in their relationships, including, in several cases, physical intimidation (allegations Platner denied). As Democrats regroup and evaluate their dwindling chances to flip the Senate in November, hosts Kai Wright and Carter Sherman are joined by Guardian political reporters Lauren Gambino and Shrai Popat to ask why voters flocked to Platner, why they were reluctant to abandon him as the scandals came out — and what the whole mess says about who gets the privilege of political redemption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11. 'Gratuitously cruel': Chase Strangio on how trans youth became political targets from Stateside with Kai and Carter

    Jul 8, 202638 min

    Last week, the US supreme court ruled that Idaho and West Virginia can continue enforcing their bans on transgender athletes playing on girls’ and women's teams in schools. It’s the latest development in the political and legal attack on trans people —and especially trans youth— that has surged in recent years. On the heels of that decision, Kai Wright talks with Guardian reporter Sam Levin , who has been covering the debate over trans athletes in California and speaking with students and their families, and Chase Strangio, co-director of the ACLU's LGBTQ & HIV Project, who is the first out trans person to argue in front of the US supreme court. They walk through the legal and political strategies animating the anti-trans movement, and discuss why this most recent decision could open the door to the erosion of civil liberties for everyone. Trans youth athletes vow to keep playing after US supreme court ruling How the US supreme court case on trans athletes could unravel LGBTQ+ rights I'm a 14-year-old trans athlete. No one should face the vicious attacks I have faced Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12. The shadowy movement behind ‘Trump accounts’ from Stateside with Kai and Carter

    Jul 6, 202645 min

    On the Fourth of July, the Trump administration's new savings accounts for children went live. These ‘Trump accounts’, created as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, are ostensibly supposed to help families pay for college and other expenses. But Guardian columnist Moira Donegan says these accounts are really the work of the pronatalist movement, which wants women to have as many babies as possible – and is backed by powerful rightwingers such as JD Vance and Elon Musk. Moira speaks with Carter Sherman about the strange bedfellows who make up the movement, including its ties to the racist conspiracy theory known as the ‘great replacement.’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13. Term limits? Court packing? Elie Mystal on why it’s time to reform SCOTUS from Stateside with Kai and Carter

    Jul 1, 202640 min

    This term, the US supreme court handed down decisions on issues ranging from voting rights to immigration and birthright citizenship, reshaping life for millions of people. Kai Wright speaks with Elie Mystal, justice correspondent for The Nation, about how the court got all its power in the first place, and why Mystal thinks court reforms to rein in that power aren’t just constitutional — they’re necessary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14. 450 years in jail: the leftist activists convicted of terrorism from Stateside with Kai and Carter

    Jun 29, 202636 min

    After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the Trump administration vowed to prosecute "antifa" activists for domestic terrorism. Now, it's made good on that threat. A group of activists who joined an anti-ICE protest that went dangerously awry have been sentenced to decades in prison, and the case could have enormous consequences for the future of the First Amendment and American protests. Carter Sherman speaks with Guardian reporter Lex McMenamin , one of the few journalists to have interviewed the activists at the heart of the case. Lex McMenmanin’s story ‘This is injustice’: how leftist zines were used to sentence anti-ICE protesters to decades in prison Sam Levine’s reporting on the Prairieland trial and additional background on the case Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15. Taylor Swift’s girlhood era is ending. Where does she go next? from Stateside with Kai and Carter

    Jun 26, 202631 min

    Over the past two decades, Taylor Swift has changed the music industry, and how we think about girlhood. From songs like Fifteen about first love and heartbreak to introspective tracks like Mirrorball from Folklore, Swift has chronicled the emotional lives of young women in a way few artists have. Her music says that the experiences of girlhood deserve to be immortalized. But as fans celebrate her upcoming marriage and the 20th anniversary of her debut album, Carter Sherman and the Guardian's deputy music editor, Laura Snapes , ask: is she leaving that stage of her life behind, and if so, what's in store for her next era? 20 ways Taylor Swift remade pop culture in her image (2026) Taylor Swift: ‘I was literally about to break’ (2019) Correction note added 26 June 2026 : This video incorrectly says Taylor Swift's jet has burned hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel since March. The figure is actually reported to be tens of thousands of gallons. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

16. Has the American project failed? Eddie Glaude Jr on the US at 250 from Stateside with Kai and Carter

    Jun 24, 202640 min

    As the US prepares to celebrate 250 years since its founding, Kai Wright sits down with Eddie Glaude Jr, a Princeton University professor, to talk about the conflicts at the heart of the American project. Glaude argues that Black Americans have played a vital role in establishing the country, but their presence is a constant reminder that the American fantasy – the story of a white republic – doesn’t exist. He and Kai discuss how the Trump administration has normalized white supremacist rhetoric and the myriad ways the president is trying to whitewash history. Glaude’s book America, USA: How Race Shadows the Nation's Anniversaries , is out now. • 'We’re witnessing the end of the America that made our lives possible’: author Eddie Glaude on US’s 250th birthday Trump is desecrating the Lincoln memorial - a civic sacred ground Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

17. How Iranians are coping with the Iran war from Stateside with Kai and Carter

    Jun 22, 202633 min

    With negotiations to end the war in Iran now underway, experts widely agree that the Iranian government has the upper hand. But if the regime emerges from the war stronger than before, what does it mean for the people of Iran? Carter Sherman speaks with Shirin Jaafari , a journalist for the World who focuses on the Middle East, about her reporting on Iranians living through war, a devastated economy and a government that executes people who dare to protest. Carter and Kai Wright also speak about the lasting effect of this war in the US – and what Americans have already lost. Oliver Holmes on the global cost of US-Israel war against Iran Jason Burke’s analysis of the peace agreement between the US and Iran Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18. The unproven autism treatment taking off under RFK Jr from Stateside with Kai and Carter

    Jun 17, 202639 min

    Parents of children with autism are turning to a controversial stem cell treatment backed by the US Health Secretary. A growing number of clinics in the US are charging parents tens of thousands of dollars for stem cell therapy, which is being given to children as young as 18 months old. The Guardian’s chief reporter Ed Pilkington tells Kai Wright about his months-long investigation into the providers of these treatments, and their connections to the health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr. He also spoke with figures in the science community who fear the FDA may be loosening its rigorous restrictions on stem cell treatment for autism Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

19. What happens when Trump drives you out of the United States? from Stateside with Kai and Carter

    Jun 15, 202647 min

    A far-right, white supremacist ideology known as “remigration” aims to make life so punishing for immigrants that they leave the US. It’s also the policy of the Trump administration. There’s an "office of remigration" in the state department and the Department of Homeland Security has posted on X in support of it, saying: “The stakes have never been higher and the goal has never been more clear: Remigration now.” Carter Sherman speaks with journalist and author Paola Ramos about the immigrants who have made the difficult decision to leave the US, and how their departure could spell the death of the American Dream. Paola Ramos’s Rolling Stone article, The Great Reverse Migration Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

20. Elon Musk is a trillionaire now. Is that bad for the economy? from Stateside with Kai and Carter

    Jun 12, 202636 min

    Elon Musk has become the world’s first trillionaire thanks to his company SpaceX, which now has the biggest IPO of all time. Public trading in the company has put it's valuation at over $2tn. The eye-watering sums of money pouring into AI are also boosting other tech titans, including OpenAI and Anthropic. Both companies are expected to go public this year with nearly trillion-dollar valuations. The Guardian’s US tech editor Blake Montgomery tells Kai Wright that with these IPOs, all our financial futures are forever tied to AI’s success, and more worryingly, its possible failure Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.