Americanswers... on 5 Live! Is the Trump administration checking tourists' social media?

0:00This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. How has America shaped the world? I'm Asma Khaled, host of the Global Story podcast from the BBC. As the United States marks its 250-year anniversary, we've been exploring the surprising and often hidden ways the US has shaped the modern world. And today on the show, we answer your questions about this moment and what to expect in the years to come. From the BBC, it's the United States at 250. Listen to the global story on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts.

0:57ranging from the 250th anniversary celebrations for America, the celebrations being put on in Washington, D.C. What on earth is happening with them? Why are some acts pulling out? Are they even going to go ahead? Plus, travel to America. Who is welcome? Who's going? Who's not going? And are the U.S. authorities actually checking the social media history of visitors as it was at one stage rumoured that they were? And in the Democrats' fight to regain the Senate, they need to take the state of Maine, among other places. So why is Graham Plattner, their oyster fisherman candidate, in such trouble?

1:34Welcome to AmeriCanswers with Marianna, with Sarah, with Matt Chorley and with me, Justin Webb. AmeriCast. AmeriCast from BBC News. You hear that sound? Oh, I think when I hear that sound, it reminds me of money. We didn't start this war, but under President Trump, we are finishing it. This is a big cover-up, and this administration is engaged in it. This guy has Trump arrangement syndrome. I have four words for you. Turn the volume up.

2:09We've got Alan on the line. Hello, Alan. I'd like to know what on earth is going on in Trumpland. The 250th birthday celebrations and all the acts, bar Milli Vanilli and Vanilla Ice, have pulled out. less than 24 hours after they've been announced that they were going to go. Then the UFC stadium, it's not finished yet. It's only got two weeks to go and big names are pulling out of that as well. And apparently, Trump people are giving away free tickets to the military as long as they're not fat. What do you think? Wow. There's a lot to unpick there. First of all, Marianna, do you want to tell us about Milli Vanilli as the token young person?

2:50Milli Vanilli. Yeah. I think Justin Sheen. Are you across Milli Vanilli? I'm actually not that across the mini-vanili. I can do vanilla ice. The mini-vanili, right. Let me get us today. Mr. Ice, or possibly Miss Ice, anyway, vanilla. Mr. Mr. Mr. Has said that he is going to, he would happily still do it. So he's very much in the presidential group. But they hadn't rather blotted his copy by saying, I would also do it for Vladimir Putin or go to Iran. So the split is now between those artists who will go anywhere for anyone, if the money's right. And those who said, I mean, in all seriousness, they said, didn't they, Sarah, that the ones that have pulled out, they're not pulled out suddenly because of Donald Trump.

3:31They say they pulled out because it's just political and they weren't expecting it to be political. And that possibly suggests a certain naivety on their part. Yeah, and it's the same thing, isn't it? Oh, it turns out to be a political event, but it's got nothing to do with Donald Trump. The two are exactly the same thing. But I think what did happen was, yeah, They thought that maybe it was going to be just a nationwide celebration of the 250th birthday. And then it turned out it was more tied into all of these Trump themed celebrations, shall we say, because it is it has become a celebration of Donald Trump, possibly at least as much, if not more than the 250th birthday.

4:09But, Alan, it is it's worse. Everything you say is absolutely true. And it's worse than that. There are other bits of Washington, D.C., which are not finished. There's a park right in front of the White House, just don't be very familiar with it, Lafayette Park, where we often stand with our cameras and do live shots into the TV news. It was all ripped up to be completely renovated and they're going to get the fountains working again. It's still a total building site and it was meant to be finished by now. The reflecting pool is not finished. They're painting it this dark blue, American flag blue, Donald Trump calls it.

4:44He wants it to look more like a swimming pool. But it's not nearly finished and they're having problems plugging the leaks there and things. So at the moment, all of the kind of ceremonial centre of DC, the mall, looks like a bit of a building site. You've got that huge, genuine building site, of course, where they knock down the East Wing and they're still trying to build Donald Trump's controversial ballroom. And then towering above the White House, and it's just mind-blowing when you see it, it's this UFC stadium thing that they have built on the South Lawn. It's taller than the White House itself.

5:13So when you stand on the north side, you can see it reaching above the building. for this UFC fight, which is on Donald Trump's birthday, which also just happens to be flag day. And Alan, you're right, you can't buy tickets for it. The military are being offered them for free as long as they meet height to waist ratios, i.e. that they look slim and telegenic. But your ticket's free, but you've got to pay your own accommodation to Washington. You've got to pay your own travel, all of that kind of thing. It's not clear that they're going to be able to fill this stadium. But Donald Trump obviously has a vision of all of these kind of young, virile, good looking military officers behind him as he enjoys this fight.

5:53And the whole thing is shaping up to be just an amazing parody of everything that is Trump and Trumpism. And so a lot of people are rather appalled, of course, that this is the manner in which the nation's founding is being celebrated. But there are other people who are sitting back and rather reveling in what we think might just turn into a hilarious farce, actually. Well, Donald Trump has responded on Truth Social. He has written, we should have a giant, and then capital letters, Make America Great Again rally for 250. It's always the 250th anniversary. He goes on to say, instead of having overpriced singers who nobody wants to hear, whose music is boring, and yet who do nothing but complain, cancel it.

6:35And he's also said, didn't he, that he would do it himself. He would sing. He does like a dance. If they won't counsellor, he's willing to take part in himself because he said he's more popular than Elvis was in his prime. Elvis, of course, is now dead. Even I know that. He thinks he looks like Elvis as well. He sometimes tweets memes of his face. Yeah, he has. And Elvis is convinced that he looks like him. Yeah, that's quite right. He's not shy of an Elvis meme. I mean, the other thing, Alan, about all these celebrations is that America's a very local place, as you maybe know if you know it well.

7:06And I can remember July the 4th celebrations with my kids. We never watched any of the kind of big fireworks and stuff. You go to the place, your local place, and there'd be a parade, and it's all very, very gentle and pleasant, and people go out and clap and clap the kids and all the rest of it. And I think that will happen around America. I think in a way, I mean, it's fun to talk about this. I don't think it'll matter to most Americans. But I suppose this is where the president and head of state slightly muddies things. So where the UK might have had something to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, then that is very much a non-political event, and stars of stage and screen and singers and dance, whatever, they all turn out for it because it's for the Queen and it's a sort of national event.

7:50It's not saying to, I don't know, comedians and singers, would you like to come and sing at Keir Starmer's birthday event? You know, which then becomes, at which he will give a long speech and talk about himself and be rude to me. So that distinction is... And so Donald Trump, as the head of state, would be involved, but it's become more political. And that then takes you, doesn't it, Sarah, to the money? Because, again, you know, whose face do you put on the money? There is a law, I think I'm right in saying, there's a law, isn't it, that says you can't have a living person's face on American money, but they're still trying, aren't they, behind the scenes, or in fact in front of the scenes, to get Donald Trump's face onto the...

8:28Is it$250? Yeah, for the 250th anniversary. Yeah, so they want a$250 bill, which doesn't exist at the moment. It would be a special commemoration year one with his face on it. There's already going to be gold coins, which again are getting in under what they claim is this exception, that it's ceremonial for this particular semi-quincentennial, as I've learned to call it. So he'll have his face on those, and his signature is going to appear on the regular bills as well. So not his face, because as you say, there is a law against that, But he's managing to get his very distinctive Sharpie signature on there.

9:05And don't forget, you can get a special passport if you apply for a new one this year that will also have his portrait inside. So, and you know, his face is on huge big banners all over Washington as well, outside some of the government departments. There is there really is absolutely no escape at the moment from images of Donald Trump as he's gearing up to celebrate the anniversary. and of course the anniversary is the excuse he's using to put up the big arc to Trump as well, the huge 250-foot structure near the Lincoln Memorial that he wants to put up that will dwarf Lincoln and Jefferson's memorials and just be basically a great big memorial to Trump but he says it's for the 250th anniversary.

9:42Blimey, Alan, what a brilliant question and you've unlocked quite a lot of things for us to discuss. Great question, thank you for that, Alan. We'll actually continue with a WhatsApp from Dr Hugh Dilargy in Leicestershire who asks which of the two, Trump or Netanyahu, is driving forward policy, both strategic and tactical, in their war on Iran? Justin. Yes, a really interesting one. I think increasingly that Donald Trump feels that he has to regain control over everything, but as much as he feels it, as we can see from what's happening in Lebanon at the moment, he's not able to impose his will on people and I think that is going to frustrate him enormously and I think it did you know it obviously Israel has its own reasons for attacking Hezbollah at the moment obviously feels possibly that time is running out that they are going to have to pull back eventually because it's going to Lebanon is going to be part of the overall peace deal or at least the overall longer term cessation of hostilities if that actually is agreed but in the meantime They're really going hell for leather against Hezbollah.

10:52And there's something Donald Trump seems to be able to do to stop that. So at the moment, I think the honest answer is that it's a balance. And both are trying to get to a place that is of maximum benefit to them before the thing ends. And that does mean that Netanyahu, and there's also elections coming up in Israel, and it's complicated. There's Israeli politics and all the rest of it. Netanyahu is not yet, is not under Trump's thumb to the extent I think that Donald Trump hoped he would be. And I suppose that goes somewhere to explain why it's been a deal, it's been imminent it's going to be today, oh no not today.

11:30This morning Donald Trump posted on Truth Social Iran really wants to make a deal and it'll be a good one for the US and those that are with us but don't the Democrats and various seemingly unpatriotic Republicans understand it is much tougher for me to properly do my job and negotiate when political hacks keep negatively chirping at levels never seen before. Even the chirping is unprecedented. Over and over again that I should move faster or move slower or go to war or not go to war or whatever. Just sit back and relax. It would all work out well in the end. It always does. President DJT. And in fact we can hear, this is a clip from the cabinet meeting last week where President Trump said he wouldn't be rushed into a deal with Iran.

12:12They thought they were going to outweigh me, you know. We'll outweigh him. He's got the midterms. I don't care about the midterms. So should he care about the midterms? Yeah, and he does care about the midterms for several reasons. He doesn't want a bloodbath of Republicans and suddenly looking as though the country has turned against him and his party. He particularly cares about the midterms because if the Democrats win a majority in the House of Representatives, they'll start impeachment proceedings against him. It would take a huge majority in the Senate for him to actually be convicted and thrown out of office.

12:45But it's not impossible and it will tie him up. It will be a lot of time and resources will be involved in fighting the impeachment. Yes, of course he cares about the midterms. The week before, he said he didn't care about Americans' finances, about the fact that the price of petrol, food and everything else had gone through the roof as a result of this war. It's him trying to signal to Iran that they don't have anything over him, that he's not feeling the heat politically from what's happened as a result of the Strait of Hormuz being blocked and that they needn't think that he's in a hurry to make a deal.

13:18He's just trying to preserve his negotiating hand, his cards. You know, he's always talking about who's got all the cards. He's worried that the Iranians think they've got a card because of his concern about prices and about the midterms. But he's not kidding anyone. Of course he cares about both of these things. And that's not, you know, that's something Benjamin Netanyahu does not need to worry about here. I don't think there's much doubt about the fact that it was Netanyahu who talked Trump into going into this conflict in the first place and persuaded him that it would be quick and easy and that there was no way the Iranians would be able to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.

13:52The Americans could take out all of their military capacity quickly enough before they were able to do that. That, of course, has proved to be very, very wrong. So Donald Trump, listening to him less now, but also it is the idea that he was led by the nose into a foreign conflict by Israel that has set a lot of his supporters against this. So there's the fact that he promised no more foreign wars and they're unhappy that he broke that promise. But the fact that he was talked into it by the Israeli prime minister is another reason why a whole MAGA section is very, very opposed to this. So he needs to look as though he's distancing himself from Netanyahu now.

14:27And in terms of the midterms, What are your imaginary friends seeing and hearing? My imaginary friends? Well, I would say that kind of on the... We've spoken about this a few times, but my imaginary friends are obviously my undercover voters. I thought for a glorious moment you were going to explain who they were. Fictional characters with social media profiles across all of the main platforms. I think if you're this deep into the series by now, you wouldn't know what's going on. Yeah, but they're not called imaginary friends. They're called undercover voters. I think what's been really interesting, particularly from my pro-MAGA account, is seeing how people like Tucker Carlson sort of turning on Donald Trump a bit and some of those quite influential social media profiles, that's made a bit of a difference.

15:05Over Israel. Yeah, and that has been cutting through a little bit. Exactly, as Sarah was saying. That has been sort of the one thing I've noticed quite a lot. You know the Democrats have spoken about Israel, and that was the case during the last election, etc., and may well have been material to some extent in them losing it, losing some of their own supporters. supporters but on the republican side this is just an amazing dramatic fallout now that's happening with real kind of real venom on both sides and suddenly israel and the whole business of netanyahu going back to that question is live uh we think we've got uh peter from belfast online hello peter hi hi thanks why very good what is your question for the amount casters first of all brilliant program as always, insightful, very enjoyable, fantastic.

15:55Last time I was in America... You click that up. OK, thanks, Peter. Goodbye. Cheers. Do you know what comes across as your genuine affection for America, as do I, as do a lot of people, and it comes across really strongly. That's why it's insightful. And that's true as well. We do all have a real affection for it. Yeah. The last time I was there was summer of 2024. We did a road trip through Nevada, Arizona, California, and we stayed for a three-night center ranch in Arizona, hosted by the brilliant Cowboy Dave. If Cowboy Dave ever listens, shout out to you, you were fantastic. He hosted about eight or nine of us around the campfire singing, and he was telling stories and facilitating conversations.

16:38So all of the eight or nine of us were European. And I just wondered what effect or impact the last 18 months has had on tourism to the States, especially from Europe, and whether Cowboy Dave may be sitting around a campfire this summer all in his lonesome. So it's interesting this. What's your reading of tourism to the US? The official figures are down. There are fewer people are coming to visit, particularly from Europe, but from all around the world. You still hear European voices and languages being spoken, particularly in Washington, D.C., because that's somewhere where people visiting the U.S.

17:19would come to. But it's noticeably less. And some businesses are talking about that as well. I mean, just anecdotally from people who've talked to me about why they do or don't want to come, some of it is quite straightforwardly political. They say, we don't want to go there while Donald Trump's president, as though turning up here would be some kind of affirmation of his presidency, that you agree with him somehow if you come and spend money in this country. Whereas, of course, as we know, the country is very sharply divided and at least half the people who are here all of the time strongly, strongly oppose Donald Trump.

17:50But there was also this story that was put out end of last year, I think. The White House started talking about wanting to check people's social media history if they applied for a visa waiver. So if you're coming from the UK, you don't travel completely visa-free. You have to apply for this thing called an ESTA. It costs a few quid. You put in some of your biographical details and you get issued for a year or two years at a time or something. And it was covered in all the newspapers and news bulletins that they were potentially going to be asking about your social media history, looking to see if you'd ever said anything bad about Donald Trump or MAGA, presumably.

18:25And the implication was they might not issue you with this visa waiver if you had been very critical. Now, that has not come into force. But because it was so heavily reported that they were considering doing it, a huge number of people think, yeah, they think, I don't want to go through that process. So I won't apply for the visa. So I'll just go on holiday somewhere else. And it's a shame. I mean, America will survive without them. but it's a shame because a trip through Arizona, Nevada and California sounds like one of the best vacations you could ever go on. Yeah. That sounds nice. I think we should all go on a road trip with Peter.

19:01They've got a new person in London too who's trying to drum up tourism because he was on the Today programme this morning and he was, I have to say, slightly defensive when the, it wasn't me interviewing him, but when the interviewer said, you know, is Donald Trump affecting these? He just, I mean, literally blanked the question and had a script because he rather kept it.

19:23OK, we've just finished on Five Live with Matt Charlie, but Justin and I are still here. And we should do a quick round-up, Justin, of what's happening in some of the primary elections as we gear towards those mid-term elections that we were just talking about. And in Maine, up in the North East, very, very interesting race. Probably one of the Democrats' best chances of taking a seat in the Senate. They need four altogether to get a Senate majority. So up in Maine, we've got the long, long served Republican Senator Susan Collins. And she's really interesting because she frequently doesn't vote with Donald Trump.

19:58She's often been very independent through other presidencies and administrations as well. She's sort of held her own line and is quite moderate. But she is being challenged by the Democrat Graham Plattner, working class oyster fisherman, very progressive. Some people think too left wing, too radical to try and take the state. and he's in a bit of hot water now. Yeah, to put it mildly. So it's not just that he's progressive, is it? Which he is in terms of policy positions. He's also a bit of a wild card in so many other ways and we did this entire episode, didn't we, on the fight that he was then having to win the primary, which he has essentially won.

20:37And he seems to his supporters to be just refreshingly, magically not out of the political box because as well as being working class, he's genuinely someone who has fought abroad for America. He has done multiple tours of duty. He's a rough, tough guy. He has a tattoo which has Nazi insignia that he eventually actually had covered up. but he's got all sorts of aspects to him that in a political candidate in the pre-Trump world would have absolutely meant that he would not have even got to the starting gun. But not only has he got to the starting gun, but he is actually, I think it's fair to say, still the favourite to beat Susan Collins.

21:28But oh my goodness, Sarah, the stuff that he is now being faced with, at least the allegations, and I think quite a lot of it seems to be pretty true, because it is a pretty rough diamond that is just giving a queasy feeling, it is fair to say, isn't it, to a lot of Democrats of, oh, my goodness, have we got the right guy? Yes, pretty explicit messages of a sexual nature, shall we say. At least six women he was essentially sexting with whilst he was married. And basically his wife has confirmed that this is true in essence because she says that she doesn't want a perfect marriage. Not all marriages are.

22:06She wants her marriage, the one where she is married to Graham Plattner. So she seems to be standing by him. I find it really shameful that there's a group of media outlets and people who are willing to spread gossip instead of talking about real issues that Graham is running on, like health care and education and child care. So that on top of controversial policy platforms and some other things he'd said in the past as well. There was some social media messages talking about a rape not sounding entirely supportive of victims, talking about women should not get so drunk that they wind up having sex with someone they don't mean to.

22:53And he sounding dismissive of sexual assault challenges being brought by women serving in the military. Yeah, will people say, OK, he's a real authentic candidate who's made mistakes just like I have and go for him anyway? But it's going to make the Democrats job more difficult. It's worth reflecting, I think, though, I was just saying Susan Collins, the sitting Republican senator in Maine, is a really interesting individualistic character who is probably threatened at the very least by the Democrats. The other place the Democrats are optimistic of picking up a seat is in Alaska. and that's where Lisa Makowski is the sitting Republican senator and has been for years and years.

23:31And I think they're two of the most interesting people in the Senate, these women who are often pictured together, they appear to be good friends, they work together quite a lot, on voting differently from their party, entirely around their conscience and political judgment. And it's a shame to lose people like that from the Senate who don't just take the party whip, don't just do what the party leaders say, but are prepared to stand up to the leadership quite often and make counter-arguments. It's what, you know, American politics is meant to be more about that, more like that than the British parliamentary system is.

24:06But, you know, Donald Trump has cowed most of them into agreeing with him, other than these two women who often speak out. Yeah. And that, of course, just finishing on Susan Collins, that is one of the raps that moderate Republicans now have against their Democrat colleagues, those Republicans who are sticking with the Republican Party and sticking with her and saying, why do you want to replace this essentially moderate, middle of the road, thoughtful character with all her weight of experience? Why do you want to replace her with Graham Plattner, with all the baggage that he brings? It's going to be a fascinating race.

24:40On a fascinating occasion in American politics, which is a midterm that is really kind of crazily all over the place, simply because, well, because of the redistricting for the House and the fact of Donald Trump and all that he's done and the fact that he's so unpopular. It's just such a maelstrom of stuff, isn't there? As there always is in America, but particularly this electoral cycle. But don't forget, we heard him say it himself earlier, I don't care about the midterms, he said. Let's see. You say he does. Let's say indeed. Oh, yes. Sarah, that's it. Bye-bye. Bye. Thank you for answering our call and continuing to send us your messages.

25:21We do read every single one and love to hear your thoughts, feedback, and questions. So please do keep them coming. You can send us an email, americast at bbc.co.uk. The WhatsApp, that's 44-330-123-9480. And you can get involved in the AmeriCast Discord server. The link to that is in the description. And don't forget to subscribe. That way you'll never miss an episode. So until next time, goodbye.