Home Podcasts Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files
Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files

Christiane Amanpour Presents: The Ex Files

Global 103 Episodes Jul 2, 2026

World-renowned journalist Christiane Amanpour and ex-husband Jamie Rubin, a former US State Department official, unpack today’s defining global crises. Drawing on decades of insider experience in global affairs, reporting from conflict zones, and grilling world leaders, they explain how we ended up where we are – and where we might be going. From Trump and Putin to the war in Ukraine, China’s global rise, and chaos in the Middle East, geopolitics has never been more dangerous or unpredictable. The Ex Files provides unparalleled insight into the issues keeping world leaders, and the rest of us, awake at night.

Episodes

Q&A: US and Israel’s ‘special relationship’, the World Cup and who polices Trump’s board of peace? Jul 2, 2026 25:33 Nearly four months after the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted, how are the many Asian countries dependent on its oil managing? Christiane and Jamie also discuss the US's potential decline as a world power, and its success as host of the FIFA World Cup - despite the odds. Also, given the UN inquiry that declares Israel as the perpetrators of genocide, at what point does the US reconsider its "special
Is Putin panicking? Jun 30, 2026 36:00 Putin has publicly admitted that Ukraine's strikes are causing real damage inside Russia. With fuel being rationed in Siberia and supplies in Crimea running out, Christiane and Jamie discuss how worried Putin is, and whether this is the beginning of real pressure on Moscow. They also discuss Venezuela's devastating earthquake which has exposed a country incapable of dealing with crisis. With the U
Q&A: Trump's staying power, the rise of the far-right & Israel's nuclear double standard Jun 25, 2026 23:44 Christiane and Jamie contrast the political accountability between presidential and parliamentary systems - why does Donald Trump remain while Keir Starmer falls?Plus, could Syria, Lebanon, and Israel ever cooperate to eradicate Hezbollah? Or has that moment already passed? And, what of Israel's undeclared nuclear arsenal? Christiane and Jamie also discuss the far-right threat sweeping Europe, fro
Iran deal on a knife-edge, Trump vs Netanyahu & yet another UK Prime Minister resigns Jun 23, 2026 41:48 The US and Iran have held their first round of peace talks, but has there really been any progress? Is Tehran actually likely to allow nuclear inspectors back in? And has Trump's approach left America in a weaker negotiating position than when this all started? Christiane and Jamie cut through the diplomatic noise and explain what's really happening behind the scenes as both sides try to reach a d
Q&A: Musk the trilionaire, the two-state solution and is Trump cashing in? Jun 18, 2026 31:59 Elon Musk has become the world's first trillionaire - but should we celebrate or worry? Christiane and Jamie debate how his leap from electric cars and SpaceX into owning the public square, gutting USAID, and bankrolling Europe's far right represents a concentration of power no single individual should hold. They also examine whether Trump's final-term decisions are driven by ideology or personal
Who won the Iran War? Jun 16, 2026 41:47 The war in the Middle East has stopped, but can either the US or Iran genuinely claim victory? Christiane and Jamie unpick what the Memorandum of Understanding actually includes, what it conspicuously leaves out, and why the deal could still collapse if the two sides can't agree on the nuclear question long-term.Christiane reveals what her contacts inside Iran are telling her about the potential f
Q&A: CBS under attack, Iran's ransom price and has Mamdani delivered? Jun 11, 2026 24:43 Is the gutting of 60 Minutes leading us down a dangerous path? Christiane doesn't hold back on what CBS's parent company is doing to one of the most successful news programmes in television history.Plus, a Lebanese listener asks the question at the heart of the Middle East crisis: is it cheaper to pay off Iran and its proxies than to keep fighting? Christiane and Jamie unpack why the war in Lebano
Is Israel trapped in a Forever War? Jun 9, 2026 39:44 Christiane was in Beirut until last Sunday. By the time she arrived back in London, the Lebanese capital was once again under Israeli bombardment and the Middle East ceasefire appeared on the verge of collapse.In this episode, Christiane reveals what Lebanese President Joseph Aoun exclusively told her about Israel's ongoing war with Hezbollah and Iran's continued grip on his country. She and Jamie
Q&A: Trump’s dealmaking “mastery”, capitalism vs democracy & do sanctions work? Jun 4, 2026 21:11 On this week’s Q&A, Christiane and Jamie are asked whether Donald Trump’s self-styled reputation as a master dealmaker stands up to scrutiny, as US-Iran talks drag on with bold claims but little progress. They also discuss the French navy’s interceptions of Russian oil tankers accused of skirting sanctions, and whether others should follow suit.They explore the effect that gerrymandering, and
Does Putin want to start a war with NATO? Jun 2, 2026 38:55 After a Russian drone struck a building inside NATO member Romania, Christiane and Jamie ask the question on every western leader's mind: does Putin actually want a direct confrontation with the alliance? They examine whether the incident was a reckless accident or a calculated provocation, potentially a deliberate test of NATO and Europe's willingness to respond. What does it tell us about Russia
Q&A: The Pope’s AI warning, Iran at the World Cup & is Russia still meddling in US politics? May 28, 2026 30:15 This week, Christiane and Jamie discuss Pope Leo’s warning that AI could end up starting more wars, and ask whether the technology now poses a genuine threat to the future of humanity. They also look at the politics around this summer's FIFA World Cup - which will see Iran play matches in the US - as the war in the Middle East shows no sign of ending.Christiane & Jamie also revisit Russia’s in
Trump strikes Iran again: a sign of desperation? May 26, 2026 36:20 The Iran ceasefire hangs by a thread after the latest round of US strikes on Iranian military sites and IRGC boats. Is this a sign that Trump is about to restart the war? Or is it that the President is becoming increasingly desperate to end the conflict he probably regrets starting three months ago? Christiane & Jamie unpick how Trump has backed himself into such a tight corner, and whether it

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