Are protests in France spiralling out of control, or do they point to a deeper breakdown in trust between the public and its political leaders? Christiane and Tina examine what lies behind the unrest and what it reveals about France's political climate.

They also look at America's relationships with its allies. Can the US rebuild their trust, or will repairing the damage require more than a change of president?

And how dependent is Ukraine on Elon Musk's Starlink network to coordinate military operations and maintain its advantage against Russia? Plus, Sally Rooney says she can no longer sell her books in the UK because of her support for Palestine Action. Does this raise serious questions about freedom of expression?

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After Katie Zacharia lasted just 5 days as White House Press Secretary, Christiane and Tina Brown ask: is this story part of a wider pattern that shows Trump and his administration have a problem with women?

They discuss why Zacharia was given a job she was never qualified for in the first place, whether she was treated more harshly than her incompetent male colleagues, and whether Trump's Chief of Staff Susie Wiles could be the next high profile woman in the Trump team to lose her job.

Christiane and Tina are also joined by Kai Bird, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, to talk about his recent biography of Trump's mentor, Roy Cohn. They examine the influence Cohn had on a young Trump, and how much of that influence is still in evidence today.

Plus, Christiane reacts to Trump's continued approach of criticising President Zelensky, while try to flatter and do business with Vladimir Putin.

You can read Tina's Substack 'Fresh Hell' here.

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.

Follow us on social media @amanpourpod

For more content, please follow us:

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Why has JD Vance condemned the idea of livestreaming Nidal Hasan’s execution, and what does it reveal about divisions within the Republican Party? Christiane and Jamie examine the debate and how it sits alongside the party’s stance on the right to life.

They also look at the Houthis’ strike on a Saudi airport. Does this signal a widening conflict, and could Saudi Arabia be drawn back into a direct confrontation with the Houthis?

Meanwhile, MI5 says threats from Russia and Iran have quadrupled in the last decade. With AI creating new risks, from cyber-attacks to bioweapons, are Britain’s intelligence services equipped to deal with a new era of hybrid warfare?

Plus, why are Republican politicians so reluctant to cross Trump, even when his popularity appears to be falling? What keeps them loyal to him?

This episode was recorded on 14th October.

Christiane is up for Best Host in the Signal Awards Listener's Choice. If you love the show, take ten seconds to vote: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2026/shows/craft/best-host

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.