Battle Lines

• Inside Trump’s new Star Wars program, plus HIMARS dispatch

  In today’s episode, we explore Donald Trump’s bold new vision for a space-based missile defence system — a futuristic project dubbed the Golden Dome. Announced in the Oval Office with his defence secretary Pete Hegseth, Trump claims the system will protect the U.S. from missile attacks launched from anywhere on Earth — or even from space.Featuring cutting-edge technologies deployed across land, sea, and orbit, the Golden Dome is billed as the most advanced missile shield ever imagined. But is it real science or just science fiction? What would it cost — and would it actually work? To help us unpack the reality behind the rhetoric, we speak to Julia Cournoyer, from Chatham House’s International Security Programme.Plus, Venetia Rainey goes to Sweden’s Gotland island to see the British and American armies conduct the first ever simultaneous live fire drill with HIMARS and MLRS. She asks if Donald Trump’s hostile attitude towards European security is affecting military cooperation on the ground.Contact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Israel's new offensive to seize "all" of Gaza

  As Israel launches a new offensive in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declares the goal is full control of the Strip, a move that could signal the war’s final phase. We speak to The Telegraph’s David Blair about what this means for Israel’s military strategy, international support, and the deepening humanitarian crisis.Plus: Britain and the EU sign a new trade and defence pact that could open the door to billions in European defence funding — and as centrists outperform expectations in European elections, questions rise over whether the populist wave is finally losing steam.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Trump edition: Has he brought peace to the Middle East?

  This week, Donald Trump completed his first official trip abroad, a bling-filled tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE that was punctuated by lots of his favourite things: lucrative deals. He also announced he would be lifting sanctions on Syria and that a deal with Iran is close. It was a trip designed to focus on positive headlines, alliances, and good vibes - a rare narrative in the Middle East these days.Venetia talks to Saudi policy analyst Dr Najah Al-Otaibi about how the trip went down in the Gulf, some of the deal highlights, and why Trump has such a close 'bromance' with Saudi leader Mohammed Bin Salman. There was one area where things weren't so positive - the Gaza war, which is set to intensify in the coming weeks despite growing warnings of famine amid an Israeli aid blockade. Jonathan Crickx, Unicef's chief of communications in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, shares his insights and experiences from his recent trip to the Strip. Contact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Who won India and Pakistan's four-day war?

  After four days of airstrikes and artillery duels, India and Pakistan have called a truce. But how long will the peace last, who won, and what lessons have their generals learned?Roland Oliphant talks to Dr Chietigj Bajpaee, senior research fellow for South Asia at Chatham House, about the real war, the propaganda war and the role of China and the US.Plus, chief foreign commentator David Blair discusses the bromance between Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping on display in Moscow last week, and asks whether the US's wedge policy to drive the two countries apart is working.https://linktr.ee/BattleLinesContact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Trump edition: How MAGA Catholics won the White House

  Amid the election of the first ever American Pope, Robert Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV, Roland Oliphant looks at the rise of a new force in American politics: MAGA Catholics.Vice President JD Vance, First Lady Melania Trump, and of course Steve Bannon - Trump’s first term chief of staff - are among the best known names in Washington. Tim Stanley, The Telegraph’s “weapons-grade Catholic” sketch-writer, joins from Rome to discuss what unites Catholics and the MAGA movement, how much influence they wield in Washington, and whether they can influence the choice of the next Pope.Plus, as Donald Trump prepares to go to the Middle East for the first official foreign trip of his second term, program director at the Institute for Global Affairs at Eurasia Group Jonathan Guyer explains what is on the agenda and what may actually be achieved. Rob Crilly's interview with Marjorie Taylor Greene: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/politics/2025/05/08/marjorie-taylor-greene-trump-needs-to-focus-on-america/Contact us with feedback or ideas:[email protected] @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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