In the Making: Why Does the White House Care So Much About UK Politics?

This week, as the death of Henry Nowak causes political chaos in the UK, Vice President JD Vance decides to weigh in, but why?

Plus, the Kennedy Center removes Trump's name from the building after months of protestation, and...

NASA are building a Moon Base. Would you live there?

Joining me this week is Kate Ballantyne, a Senior Lecturer in American History at Liverpool John Moores University.

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Stories:

01:16 - The Kennedy Center Drops Trump

07:55 - More Deaths at Louisiana ICE Facility

16:45 - JD Vance and Henry Nowak

34:01 - NASA's Moon Base

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Sources:

• The Kennedy Center drops Trump: https://www.usnews.com/news/entertainment/articles/2026-06-08/the-kennedy-center-drops-trump-branding-as-bill-mahers-twain-award-guests-are-revealed 
• Deaths at an ICE detention facility: https://apnews.com/article/ice-detainee-death-winn-a1ab66753aa4a1effdff0b7abef2240f 
• Inhumane conditions: https://apnews.com/article/ice-immigration-detention-medical-neglect-dhs-32c3fbeef0c44dfb02fcab890b2c9a96 
• Downing Street response to JD Vance comments: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crlplwn1jkro 
• What is the Henry Nowak case? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cpvpv2xylgeo 
• Black arrests in the UK: https://irr.org.uk/research/statistics/criminal-justice/ 
• JD Vance on X: https://x.com/JDVance/status/2062938286977421755
• Moon Base: https://www.nasa.gov/moonbase/

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