America, If You're Listening
ABC Radio
Subscribe
A podcast about how Donald Trump changed the United States and the world. Four years ago, Donald Trump promised to make America Strong, Wealthy, Safe, Proud and Great Again. In November, Americans will have their chance to elect him again. Has he lived up to his promise?
Season 4 of America, If You’re Listening (formerly known as Russia, If You’re Listening) will look back on Trump’s greatest achievements, disappointments and disasters, and look at how they all fit together.
Available episodes
Newest first
Oldest first
Nov 1, 2020
S04 #9 - How Coronavirus destroyed Trump's MAGA promise
When the coronavirus pandemic swept the globe, killing hundreds of thousands in its wake, President Donald Trump's new way of running the country suddenly left America exposed.
Oct 25, 2020
S04 #8 - How China fooled Donald Trump
For a decade Donald Trump railed against China.
But once he was elected, Chinese President Xi Jinping quickly broke down Trump's defences.
In today's episode, how President Xi turned Trump's disdain for China into a beautiful friendship.
And created the perfect distraction from what China was really doing.
Oct 18, 2020
S04 #7 - How Donald Trump turned the Presidency into a business
Just this month, the public finally got access to Donald Trump's tax returns.
They revealed that he pays little to no tax, because he makes very little money.
So what does a businessman do when he needs to revamp his image and make a little cash? Become the most famous person in the world.
How Donald Trump tried to make money off the Presidency.
Oct 11, 2020
S04 #6 - Trump's desperate measure to halt immigration
Donald Trump ran for election on some promises - building a wall between the US and Mexico, and stopping the immigration of Muslims.
But instead of living up to his promise to stem the tide of immigrants, he resorted to truly shocking measures.
How did Donald Trump push America's immigration system to the limits of what is legal, and what is morally justifiable?
Oct 4, 2020
S04 #5 - How Trump widened racial divides for political gain
When George Floyd was killed by police, protestors took to the streets in worldwide support of the Black Lives Matter protests.
Donald Trump has a long history with speaking out on issues to do with race.
So how far did his law and order response go toward soothing America's centuries old racial divide.
When Donald Trump was elected, he promised to Make America Proud Again but did he just end up making it worse?
Sep 27, 2020
S04 #4 - How Saudi Arabia found an ally in the White House
As a businessman and presidential candidate, Donald Trump was extremely harsh on Saudi Arabia.
So when Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside a Saudi consulate, why did Donald Trump come to the Kingdom's defence?
Sep 20, 2020
S04 #3 - How close did Trump get to nuclear war?
Within months of taking office, Donald Trump threatened North Korea with "fire and fury".
Soon afterwards, he would tear up a nuclear deal with Iran and bring the US to the brink of war.
And yet that war never came.
This is the story of how Donald Trump resisted temptation and kept the peace.
Sep 13, 2020
S04 #2 - The surprising story of how Donald Trump took on the NRA
The most powerful gun lobby group in the United States was brought to the edge of collapse.
And right at that moment, Donald Trump vowed to do something about mass shootings.
Could Donald Trump finally defeat the NRA, or when the moment came, did he flinch?
Sep 6, 2020
S04 #1 - What a hurricane taught Trump about being president
Hurricane Maria smashed through Puerto Rico in 2017, destroying everything in its wake.
What did the worst American natural disaster in decades teach Donald Trump about how to be president?
When Trump was inaugurated, he promised to Make America Safe Again... when the hurricane hit, did he live up to his promise?
This is America, If You’re Listening. A podcast about how President Donald Trump has left his mark on the United States, and the world.
Sep 2, 2020
Welcome to Season 4: America, If You’re Listening
The 2020 US Presidential election is shaping up to be a historical moment.
Voters are deciding if the America of the last four years is the one they want to live in in the future.
President Trump's has presided over the most turbulent four years in living memory. He's dealt with crises, changed policies, and fought for his political survival.
America, If You're Listening will look back at these astonishing four years, and shed new light on the incredible chaos of Donald Trump's first term as President.
Dec 15, 2019
S03 #9 - Putin's Trump card: the CrowdStrike conspiracy theory
Russian intelligence agencies and Vladimir Putin have spent three years spreading a conspiracy theory that Ukraine was the one who meddled in the 2016 election.
The theory quickly reached Donald Trump, and he became obsessed with proving it.
He's now being impeached for his scheme to get Ukraine to investigate it.
While this scheme has blown up in Trump’s face, and allegedly harmed America and Ukraine’s national security, it has played out perfectly for Putin.
Dec 8, 2019
S03 #8 - How Russia's rotten gas got Trump into trouble
You might think Trump's impeachment inquiry started because of a dodgy phone call to the Ukrainian President.
But the origins are actually in the Ukrainian gas industry - which is deeply corrupt and reliant on Russia - just the way Putin likes it.
In 2014, Joe Biden flew to Ukraine to try and break their Russian gas addiction.
And started the dominoes falling which would eventually lead to Donald Trump's infamous request for a favour.
Dec 1, 2019
S03 #7 - Putin goes nuclear to retain his popularity
Like all dictators, Vladimir Putin is terrified of being overthrown by his people.
Keeping his popularity high among average Russians is a priority for him, and from 2014 to 2018 he was king of the mountain.
To keep that going in 2018 he announced an exciting new nuclear-powered nuclear missile.
But that's where things started to go wrong.
Nov 24, 2019
S03 #6 - The spies who suck at spying
In 2006, Russian assassins killed a dissident in London. But they left a spectacular radioactive mess behind them and ended up in a Moscow hospital.
But this wasn't the worst example of spycraft in England over the last two decades.
One attack went so disastrously wrong it made the United Kingdom finally wake up to the threat of Putin's Kremlin.
The story of how espionage screwups can have global consequences.
Nov 17, 2019
S03 #5 - When the Father of Brexit met Mother Russia
From almost complete obscurity, Nigel Farage rode a wave of British anger to take his idea of leaving the European Union from a fringe fantasy to a mainstream cause.
But as Farage rose from community hall meetings to primetime TV debates, he found himself increasingly allied with Vladimir Putin.
This is the story of how Mr Brexit came to recognise Putin's power and how it could help his cause.
Nov 10, 2019
S03 #4 - Putin's obsession with crushing the mother of Germany
German leader Angela Merkel was the most powerful woman in the world.
Which is why Putin was determined to take her down.
His campaign started by playing on her famous fear of dogs... and ended with the biggest migrant crisis the world had seen.
Nov 3, 2019
S03 #3 - How to spin a war
When is an invasion not an invasion? When Putin's propaganda machine is involved, sowing false narratives, confusion and fear.
From Putin's motorcycle gang to his 'little green men' and his hip-hop loving head of misinformation, Russia tried everything to convince the West it wasn't invading Ukraine.
The propaganda push worked - sort of, and tells us a lot about the misinformation Russia has gone on to do in the West.
Oct 27, 2019
S03 #2 - From spymaster to president
Russian President Vladimir Putin came to power declaring he would kill his terrorist enemies, even if they were in the toilet at the time.
His transition from spymaster to President came in the midst of apartment bombings, and brutal crackdowns on those he held responsible.
He learned that having an enemy to fight makes you a popular leader.
The turbulent first years of his Presidency tell us a lot about why he has picked a fight with the West.
Oct 20, 2019
S03 #1 - A cold, wet day in Salisbury
The residents of the sleepy English town of Salisbury woke up one morning to find their town in chaos.
Russian agents had attempted to assassinate a traitor with a terrifying weapon, in a brazen chemical attack on British soil.
But the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal is only one step in a series of events which began five years ago and may help bring about Brexit, and the impeachment of a US President.
Season 3 of Russia, If You're Listening begins in Salisbury, to tell the whole story of Russian President Vladimir Putin's 5-year attack on the western world.
Oct 16, 2019
Putin vs The World. Welcome to season 3!
The Russian campaign to meddle in the 2016 US Election was only part of President Vladimir Putin's big plan.
Season 3 of Russia, If You're Listening looks at where the scheme to destroy western democracies began, the damage it's done, and where it might end.
May 22, 2019
S02 #8 - The night at the wine rooms
It's the meeting at a fancy wine bar in London that sparked the Mueller investigation.
Some say it was a boozy, alcohol-fuelled drinking session where a clever spy tricked a Trump official into divulging information about Russia.
Others say it was a brief encounter where a Trump official naively blurted something to a senior diplomat.
So what is the truth?
For the first time, both people at the meeting - George Papadopoulos and Alexander Downer - reveal what really happened that night.
Here's one spoiler: they agree they both had a gin and tonic.
So pull up a chair and grab a drink, because this story gets weird.
May 9, 2019
Trumpdate: Hello Constitutional crisis
Six weeks after the Mueller Report, the Democrats in Congress have declared that the US is in a full-blown Constitutional crisis.
President Trump is doing everything he can to prevent further investigation of his campaign and presidency. He's announced he will defy all subpoenas from the Democrat controlled House of Representatives.
The Democrats are now openly talking about arresting Trump cabinet officials and locking them in the Capitol basement.
But when this battle hits the court system who will have the upper hand?
This week, we take a break from the story of the Mueller Report, to look at the chaos enveloping Washington D.C.
May 2, 2019
S02 #7 Oleg Deripaska - The collusion connection?
Robert Mueller has investigated the relationship between former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort and Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska.
Deripaska is an aluminium tycoon with close links to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Manafort tried to funnel secret insider information about the Trump election strategy to him.
Was that information then used by Russia to influence the election?
The story behind the last remaining collusion question.
Apr 25, 2019
S02 #6 Don McGahn - Mueller's star witness
Lawyer Don McGahn was on the Trump train from the beginning.
But the dream job of White House Counsel quickly turned into a nightmare, as he slowly fell out of favour with the President.
Then one night McGahn was forced to make a choice of historic proportions: help Trump potentially commit a crime or resign.
McGahn has found himself the centre of attention, as his testimony to Robert Mueller implicates the President in possible obstruction of justice.
Apr 22, 2019
The Mueller report in 20 minutes
The Mueller report is out. All 400 plus pages of it.
If you haven't had time over Easter to read it, we're here to help.
Robert Mueller found no evidence that Trump or anyone in his campaign conspired to collude with Russia.
But, there are now huge questions about whether the President obstructed justice in his attempts to shut down the investigation.
So what are the best bits in the report? What’s new? And is it really a complete exoneration for Donald Trump?
We also answer some of your questions!
Apr 18, 2019
S02 #5 Julian Assange - Russia's favourite publisher
When Julian Assange was arrested last week, the only camera to capture it was Russian broadcaster RT.
It's the latest event in a long relationship between the Wikileaks founder and the state-sponsored network.
Assange has denied working with Russian military hackers to influence the US election.
But what does Robert Mueller know about Assange’s links to Russia?
Apr 11, 2019
S02 #4 Sergey Kislyak - The radioactive ambassador
Everyone who meets Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak ends up in deep trouble. But what if that was the point?
Robert Mueller seems to have found no evidence that the Trump campaign were willing participants in the criminal Russian effort to disrupt the 2016 election.
But what if the Trump campaign were unwitting targets of a spy operation, led from the Russian Embassy
Were they tricked into taking pointless but suspicious-looking meetings - which the media and FBI would discover and investigate?
Apr 4, 2019
S02 #3 Rob Goldstone - "I regret all of it"
Affable Englishman Rob Goldstone was literally in the room for the infamous Trump Tower Meeting, and he was with Donald Trump the weekend of the mythical "pee tape".
But when you look at the rest of the characters involved in the Trump/Russia saga - Republican operatives, Trump family members and Russian spies - Rob Goldstone seems like the odd man out.
He puts a lot of his story down to accidents and misunderstandings, but is that all there is to it?
You can get a link to the full interview on our website.
Mar 28, 2019
S02 #2 Maria Butina - Russian in the NRA
An undercover Australian journalist from Al Jazeera spent three years inside the National Rifle Association of America.
He wasn't the only one trying figure it out. Simultaneously, a Russian secret agent was trying to infiltrate the NRA.
She is now the only Russian secret agent behind bars for Russia's meddling in the election, and could hold the key to understanding Putin's plans.
Mar 25, 2019
S02 #1 Trump's best day ever
After 22 months Mueller's report has dropped. But it hasn't been made public - yet.
US Attorney General Bill Barr has the report in his hot hands - and according to him - Mueller found no evidence of collusion.
But who is Bill Barr?
And can we trust his summary of Mueller's findings?
Dec 17, 2018
Trumpdate: Five ways it could end for Trump
After a turbulent year in America, for the first time there is serious discussion about how Donald Trump will leave the White House.
Will he be impeached, pardoned, arrested, take a deal, or exonerated?
With the year ending in Mueller-related chaos, Dom Knight and Emma Shortis join Matt Bevan to discuss 2018 in Trump/Russia.
Dec 10, 2018
Trumpdate: Donald Trump's not-so-merry Christmas
It's not looking like Donald Trump is going to have a merry Christmas.
After avoiding talking about impeachment or legal consequences for Donald Trump, the Democrats are suddenly dangling the threat of jail time over the President's head.
So what's changed? Michael Cohen.
He's been telling the Mueller investigation all sorts of juicy information. It's changed what we knew about the Trump Tower Moscow timeline.
Russia, If You're Listening has this SPECIAL UPDATE to explain what's new.
Nov 27, 2018
Trumpdate: Why are news networks calling Paul Manafort an idiot?
Former Trump campaign director Paul Manafort seemed to have flipped on the boss in September.
That's when he signed a plea deal with Robert Mueller and pleaded guilty to a number of financial crimes.
But now, Mueller says Manafort has reneged on the deal and lied to his investigators. That could lead to years of jail time.
What is Manafort thinking?
And will Donald Trump confront Vladimir Putin over this week's naval skirmish in the Kerch Strait between the Russian and Ukranian navies?
Dr Gorana Grgic from the US Studies Centre joins Russia, If You're Listening.
Nov 7, 2018
Trumpdate: Sessions fired! Is Mueller next?
President Donald Trump's party has lost the House of Representatives, and the firings have already begun.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who Trump has long wanted gone, is out.
His temporary replacement is a guy who has called the Mueller probe a "witch hunt", and suggested Mueller's budget should be cut to the bone.
So what's going to happen to the Mueller investigation?
Today we're joined by Emma Shortis from RMIT, and Andrew Beatty, a news editor for Agence France Presse in Australia, and a former White House correspondent.
Oct 25, 2018
Interview: Is history repeating itself? Slow Burn host Leon Neyfakh
The American political system is being challenged in unprecedented ways, but that doesn't mean it hasn't been challenged before.
The Mueller investigation into Donald Trump is just the latest of over a dozen special investigations ordered since the US Civil War.
But there are two in the last 50 years which are seen as historical references for what’s happening right now - Watergate, and the Lewinsky Scandal.
One led to a resignation. The other led to an impeachment.
We spoke to Leon Neyfakh, a man who has delved deeply into both those investigations for his wildly successful podcast, Slow Burn, and learned a lot of lessons which should be remembered while talking about the Russia investigation.
Oct 4, 2018
Listener mailbag: Matt answers your questions
We've received so many great questions since we started this podcast.
What happens if Mueller gets fired? What's the worst thing Trump could be found guilty of? Where does this all end!?
It's time to pin Matt down and make him answer them.
Questions:
01:17 - If Mueller gets fired, what happens to the evidence he's collected?
04:39 - What's the worst thing Trump could be found guilty of?
08:27 - What if the investigation is still going when the next Presidential primaries begin?
10:48 - Hasn't the US done a bit of its own interfering in foreign elections before?
15:17 - Is there going to be a tipping point when Republican politicians will change their opinion on Trump?
18:50 - How does this whole thing end?
If there's a question you want answered, email us at russia@abc.net.au.
Sep 28, 2018
Trumpdate: Why Brett Kavanaugh matters to the Russia Investigation
Donald Trump's nominee for the US Supreme Court Brett Kavanaugh has faced down mounting allegations of sexual misconduct from a growing list of women.
After an emotional Senate appearance by him and one of his accusers, it's unclear whether he has the numbers to be confirmed.
But if Kavanaugh is confirmed, it could have big implications for the Russia investigation.
We're joined by Professor Simon Jackman from the US Studies Centre and Emma Shortis from RMIT University.
If you want to get in touch or have a question you'd like us to answer our email is russia@abc.net.au
Sep 26, 2018
Trumpdate: Will Rosenstein lose his job?
The only person in the world with the power to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller may lose his job.
US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein marched to the White House for a meeting with Donald Trump earlier this week but the President wasn't there.
They've rescheduled for tomorrow.
What will it mean if Rosenstein is fired or steps down? Will it mean Robert Mueller's days are numbered?
Sep 16, 2018
Trumpdate: Why did Paul Manafort flip on Trump?
He held out for a long time, but Donald Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort has finally flipped.
What does Manafort know about the Trump Tower meeting and the Trump campaign?
Is a pardon still on the table? And how close is Robert Mueller to concluding his investigation?
We're joined by Emma Shortis from the European Union Centre at RMIT University in Melbourne, and Professor Sandeep Gopalan, the Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic Innovation at Deakin University.
Want to get in touch? Email russia@abc.net.au.
Sep 9, 2018
S01 #17 Robert Mueller: 'Trump's worst nightmare'
We end the season with the head of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election - Robert Mueller.
He's been taking down key players, circling closer and closer to Donald Trump.
But can he finish before the President shuts him down?
This is our last deep dive into a key character in the Russia investigation for this season, but we'll keep you updated with Trumpdates every time an important development in the story breaks.
Keep an eye on your feed.
Want to get in touch? Email russia@abc.net.au.
Sep 7, 2018
Trumpdate: Does the anonymous NYT op-ed spell the end for Donald Trump?
An anonymous op-ed published by the New York Times has exploded like a hand grenade in Washington D.C.
The op-ed was reportedly written by a "senior figure in the Trump administration".
The author said they are among a group of senior officials inside the White House who are working to slow down the worst parts of the President's agenda.
They said that, despite being a supporter of Republican policies, they are disturbed by the President's amorality, and his erratic and anti-democratic behaviour.
What does this mean for the future of Donald Trump's presidency, and the Mueller investigation?
Matt is joined by Gorana Grgic from the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney and Emma Shortis from the European Union Centre at RMIT University in Melbourne.
Links:
Read the New York Times Op-ed here: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/05/opinion/trump-white-house-anonymous-resistance.html
Want to get in touch? Email russia@abc.net.au.
Sep 2, 2018
S01 #16 Michael Cohen: The fixer with the hush money
Michael Cohen is called Donald Trump's personal lawyer, but really he's a "fixer" - a man who solves problems for the boss.
It all came unstuck when investigators probed into hush money payments he made to a model and a porn star.
He pleaded guilty to eight criminal counts, and announced he was happy to tell the truth to anyone who asked for it.
So what information will he give up and should Trump be worried?
Want to get in touch? Email russia@abc.net.au.
Aug 29, 2018
Interview: Russia is hacking elections. What does NYT's David Sanger think is next?
We've spoken a lot about hacking on this podcast, but Russia and America have the cyber capabilities to do much more than hack elections.
In fact, around 30 to 40 countries are thought to have cyber weapons that are sophisticated enough to bring advanced, and highly wired, countries to their knees.
What's worse, is that our ability to attack other countries with digital weapons is far better than our ability to defend against attacks.
Matt spoke to David Sanger, the national security correspondent for the New York Times and host of Deep State Radio podcast.
His new book is called The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age.
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au.
Aug 26, 2018
S01 #15 Felix Sater: Criminal, informant, developer, spy
Felix Sater's life is a mystery.
He went to jail for stabbing a guy in the face, he was involved with the Russian Mafia, and was an informant for the CIA.
He also helped Donald Trump build his property empire. So are there any secrets? And what does he know?
Aug 23, 2018
Trumpdate: Does Trump know how much trouble he's in?
The White House is struggling to figure out how to respond to the twin bombshells of Paul Manafort's conviction and Michael Cohen's guilty plea.
After remaining silent for 24 hours about the issue - even on Twitter - the President has attempted to defend himself in an interview on Fox News.
But his statements about campaign finance violations may just have landed him in more trouble.
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au.
Aug 22, 2018
Trumpdate: Cohen and Manafort are criminals
Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen has pled guilty to tax fraud, lying to a bank, and campaign finance violations.
On the same day, his former campaign director Paul Manafort has been found guilty of other financial crimes.
The President's inner-circle has been breached.
What will this mean for Donald Trump?
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au.
Aug 19, 2018
S01 #14 Trump's Business: Secrets and deals
Donald Trump's business flourished with the 80s real estate boom and bled money when the recession hit.
These days no one really knows how much he really has.
Why the secrecy?
Today, the story of the Trump Organization, and when Russian money might have ended up in his pocket.
Aug 12, 2018
Interview: Buzzfeed's Mark Schoofs on Russian assassinations
Pulitzer Prize-winning BuzzFeed journalist Mark Schoofs is behind some of the biggest investigations into Russia's influence in Western Democracies.
Last year, his team at BuzzFeed revealed in a six part series that Russia had been assassinating people in the UK for over a decade.
And the British Government did nothing about it.
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au.
Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.
Aug 12, 2018
S01 #13 James Comey: Integrity at any cost
Former FBI director James Comey is both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton's biggest nightmare.
He's the grandson of a cop with a dogged commitment to integrity, independence and note taking.
But could his integrity be what cost Hillary Clinton the election? And did it cause Donald Trump to commit a crime?
Aug 5, 2018
S01 #12 Michael Flynn: General for hire
General Michael Flynn was a high ranking defence official and a Democrat before he joined up with Donald Trump.
He's now accused of planning a kidnapping, acting illegally as an unregistered foreign agent, and found guilty of lying to the FBI.
Why was he allowed to stay in the White House when he was compromised by the Russian Government?
Aug 2, 2018
Trumpdate: Did Trump tweet the end of the Russia Investigation?
The trial of Trump's former campaign director Paul Manafort began this week.
In response, Donald Trump let fly with a tweetstorm. He's calling on the Attorney-General to end the Mueller investigation.
Manafort is on trial for crimes connected to his work in Ukraine, but his defence team is blaming his deputy Rick Gates.
And Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen is keen to tell prosecutors all about the infamous 2016 Trump Tower meeting.
It's been a big week.
We've got John Barron from ABC News' Planet America and Emma Shortis from RMIT University in Melbourne on the episode to make sense of it all.
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au.
Jul 31, 2018
Trumpdate: What is Paul Manafort on trial for?
Former Trump Campaign Manager Paul Manafort is the subject of the first trial of the Mueller investigation, which begins this week in Alexandria, Virginia.
Despite the fact that his charges have nothing to do with the Trump campaign, there is intense scrutiny on it, and speculation about whether it will lead to Manafort turning on Donald Trump, or receiving a Presidential pardon.
But what is Manafort on trial for? And what shenanigans has he been up to while he's been in custody?
Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app to find out how this story ends.
Jul 29, 2018
S01 #11 Jared Kushner: Trump's Crown Prince
Jared Kushner was in charge of getting his father-in-law Donald Trump elected president.
He was a young property developer with no political experience and crushing debts.
And he went from one family besieged by scandal, to another.
So who is this man prepared to defend first, his father, then his father-in-law?
Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app to find out how this story ends.
Jul 22, 2018
S01 #10 The Troll Factory: Lies, stolen secrets and chaos
An army of professional Russian trolls tried to change the outcome of the 2016 US election from a four storey building in St Petersburg.
Did the dirty trickster Roger Stone help them? And was the Troll Factory ultimately successful?
Language warning: This episode contains some swearing.
You can get in touch at russia@abc.net.au.
Jul 16, 2018
Trumpdate: Putin checkmates Trump at Helsinki summit
Presidents Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin gave an astonishing press conference after their big summit in Helsinki.
There was an assumption Trump would be forced to confront the allegations that Russia meddled in the 2016 election, but few thought it would play out quite like this.
We're joined by Gorana Grgic, a lecturer in US politics and foreign policy at the US Studies Centre and the Department of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney, and Emma Shortis, a research officer at the RMIT University European Union Centre.
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au.
Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app to find out how this story ends.
Jul 15, 2018
S01 #9 The Crime: Russia steps over the line
Hacking, leaking, and the spreading of chaos.
How Russian Government hackers timed a Democratic National Committee email leak with Hillary Clinton's biggest scandal.
This week, we find out how Russia stepped over the line and tried to influence the outcome of the 2016 US Presidential Election.
This is the ninth episode of Russia, If You're Listening.
Each week, host Matt Bevan brings the story of a character involved in the investigation.
You can get in touch at russia@abc.net.au.
Jul 8, 2018
S01 #8 Donald Trump Jr: The President's son and the 'treasonous' meeting
In 2016 Don Jr took an ill-fated meeting with a Russian lawyer in Trump Tower.
The meeting is a pivotal moment in the entire story of Trump and Russia and has since been called "treasonous" and "unpatriotic".
So is the meeting it a smoking gun or was it all just a waste of time?
This is the eighth episode of Russia, If You're Listening.
Each week, host Matt Bevan brings the story of a character involved in the investigation.
You can get in touch at russia@abc.net.au.
Jul 1, 2018
S01 #7 Paul Manafort: The dictator's fixer
Veteran Republican strategist Paul Manafort spent 30 years working for dictators before he struck gold in Ukraine.
But when he returned to America and became the boss of the Trump campaign, his past caught up with him.
How did this man get landed with over a dozen federal indictments, and why is he still refusing to flip?
This is the seventh episode of Russia, If You're Listening.
Each week, host Matt Bevan brings the story of a character involved in the investigation.
You can get in touch at russia@abc.net.au.
Jun 27, 2018
Interview: How is Watergate like the Russia investigation?
If you read about the Russia investigation long enough, it is inevitable that before long you're going to come across a comparison to Watergate.
But for those of us who didn't live through the Watergate scandal, or didn't follow it closely at the time, it can be difficult to fully understand.
In today's episode, we're taking a look back at the biggest political scandal of 20th Century America, and how it compares to the Russia investigation.
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au.
Jun 17, 2018
S01 #6 Christopher Steele: The spy and the pee tape
Christopher Steele is the author of the infamous Trump/Russia dossier.
You remember - the one that contains allegations about sex workers urinating on a hotel bed.
But there's so much more to the dossier than that.
It outlines a massive conspiracy between Donald Trump and the Russian government - a list of allegations which, if proven, would constitute by-far the biggest attack on American democracy in history.
But is Christopher Steele a credible Russia expert? How likely is it that what's written in the dossier ever took place?
This is the sixth episode of Russia, If You're Listening.
Each week, host Matt Bevan brings the story of a character involved in the investigation.
You can get in touch at russia@abc.net.au.
Jun 14, 2018
Trumpdate: Why Trump could be right about the G7
The G8 threw Russia out after the annexation of Crimea.
Donald Trump thinks Russia should be let back into the club - so does he have a point?
This is a Trumpdate - your regular update on all things to do with the investigation.
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au.
You can also subscribe in Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app.
Jun 10, 2018
S01 #5 Carter Page: The useful idiot
Both the Russians and the Republicans have called Donald Trump's former foreign policy advisor Carter Page "an idiot".
It seems everyone has been able to manipulate him to do their bidding.
So is Carter Page an actual idiot or a Russian spy?
This is the fifth episode of Russia, If You're Listening.
Each week, host Matt Bevan brings the story of a character involved in the investigation.
You can get in touch at russia@abc.net.au.
Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app to find out how this story ends.
Jun 6, 2018
Trumpdate: Why is Donald Trump pardoning celebs?
This week we ponder what message Donald Trump is sending by pardoning well known conservatives and famous people.
And it's been a tough week for the President's former campaign manager Paul Manafort and current Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
One is facing time in the big house, and the other is defending her honour.
This is a Trumpdate - your regular update on all things to do with the investigation.
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au.
Jun 3, 2018
S01 #4 George Papadopoulos: The coffee boy
George Papadopoulos is the first known link between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Just how close was the so-called coffee boy George Papadopoulos to Russian spies offering dirt on Hillary Clinton?
This is the fourth episode of Russia, If You're Listening.
Each week, host Matt Bevan brings the story of a character involved in the investigation.
You can get in touch at russia@abc.net.au.
Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app to find out how this story ends.
May 30, 2018
Trumpdate: Is the US President above the law?
It seems increasingly likely that at some point the question will be asked - is the President of the United States above the law?
What would happen if Robert Mueller decided to involve the US President directly in his investigation?
I asked US law expert Professor Sandeep Gopalan, from Deakin University.
This is a Trumpdate - your regular update on all things to do with the investigation.
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au.
May 27, 2018
S01 #3 The Oligarchs: Money and power
The oligarchs hold the power and the money in Russia.
So who are they and why does your average Russian billionaire care about who sits in The White House?
This is the third episode of Russia, If You're Listening.
Each week, host Matt Bevan will bring the story of a character involved in the investigation.
Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app to find out how this story ends.
May 24, 2018
Trumpdate: Spygate, WITCH HUNT! and Cohen's world of trouble
Donald Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen has proved a ruthless and loyal friend but details of his personal finances are raising all sorts of eyebrows.
And Trump has accused the FBI of planting a spy inside his presidential campaign.
Two heavy hitters from the ABC's Washington bureau, Stephanie March and Conor Duffy, give us the low down.
This is a Trumpdate - your regular update on all things to do with the investigation.
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au.
May 20, 2018
S01 #2 Vladimir Putin: The man with a grudge
The spy from St Petersburg and the lawyer from Chicago. Why does Russia's president have such a deep and abiding hatred for Hillary Clinton?
This is the second episode of Russia, If You're Listening.
Each week, host Matt Bevan will bring the story of a character involved in the investigation.
You can go back to hear our earlier episode on Donald Trump plus our special Trumpdate with 7.30 presenter Leigh Sales.
Subscribe in Apple Podcasts or your favourite podcast app to find out how this story ends.
May 17, 2018
Interview: Leigh Sales' take on Comey and Clinton
7.30 presenter Leigh Sales was the only Australian to score an interview with James Comey when his book came out last month.
And this week she interviewed Hillary Clinton.
We get a behind the scenes look at both interviews and Leigh's take on two people who disprove the rule "the enemy of my enemy is my friend".
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au.
May 13, 2018
S01 #1 Donald Trump: A Russian love affair
Donald Trump has always claimed he has "nothing to do with Russia" but is that true? What if Trump was caught in a Russian web, long before he even considered a career in politics?
This is the first episode of the ABC's new podcast, Russia, If You're Listening.
Each week, host Matt Bevan will bring the story of a character involved in the investigation.
And keep an eye out for our minisode updates - available whenever news breaks.
Want to get in touch? Email: russia@abc.net.au
May 6, 2018
Coming soon: Russia, If You're Listening
In this new series from the ABC, reporter Matt Bevan will take you through the story of Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's interference in the US presidential election.