BBCNEWS — The Context USA
20260915 193000 UTC
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[00:00:00] you are. Business on BBC News. Make
[00:00:00] Make the connection. MUSIC
[00:00:10] MUSIC
[00:00:19] These are the latest headlines
[00:00:21] from BBC News. OpenAI Anthropic and
[00:00:24] and Google say they are working to
[00:00:26] to create an AI standards body as
[00:00:29] as concerns over the technology grow.
[00:00:32] grow. Baby wards in England are to
[00:00:35] to get cot cams after an inquiry inquiry into the nurse Lucy Letby,
[00:00:38] Letby, who murdered seven babies,
[00:00:41] babies, found that lives could have
[00:00:43] have been saved. China warns against against turning outer space into
[00:00:47] into a battlefield as the United United States confirms for the first
[00:00:50] first time it has deployed space
[00:00:52] space weapons. The leader of Reform
[00:00:55] Reform UK in Wales, Dan Thomas, has has stood down after he was arrested
[00:00:59] arrested at the weekend on suspicion
[00:01:01] suspicion of controlling or coercive
[00:01:03] coercive behaviour. The former England England footballer Raheem Sterling
[00:01:07] Sterling has admitted dangerous driving
[00:01:09] driving after he crashed a Lamborghini Lamborghini into motorway barriers
[00:01:13] barriers in May. MUSIC
[00:01:23] MUSIC Welcome Welcome back to The Context USA here here on BBC News with Ben Brown in
[00:01:27] in London. I'm Mike Caitriona Perry Perry here in Washington. We've got
[00:01:31] got some developments on a few new new stories here in Washington that that I just want to bring you up
[00:01:34] up to date on. President Trump has has announced that the board of the
[00:01:38] the Kennedy Center has agreed to to shut down the building for safety
[00:01:42] safety reasons. We're looking there
[00:01:43] there at a live shot of the outside outside of that building. You can
[00:01:47] can see some scaffolding covering covering over the name of the building.
[00:01:50] building. Of course, it's usually usually called the John F Kennedy
[00:01:53] Kennedy Center for the Performing Performing Arts. Earlier this year
[00:01:57] year the and Donald Trump Centre Centre for Performing Arts was added
[00:02:00] added on there and it's been the
[00:02:02] the subject of much dispute. President President Trump has said the planned
[00:02:06] planned renovations would only go go ahead if the courts approved his
[00:02:10] his move to change its name. His His announcement came shortly after
[00:02:14] after a judge again ruled that his
[00:02:16] his name could not be added on to
[00:02:19] to the exterior of this very famous famous arts institution. It was the
[00:02:22] the third time that the board has
[00:02:24] has approved closing the centre since
[00:02:27] since February, amid legal challenges challenges to President Trump's work
[00:02:31] work to take greater control of that
[00:02:33] that institution. So that is the the Kennedy Center there. At one
[00:02:37] one end of the mall. We can have have a look now at a shot from the
[00:02:40] the other end of the National Mall Mall here in Washington, DC, inside inside the Senate chamber there,
[00:02:43] there, because in the last few moments,
[00:02:45] moments, the Senate has failed to
[00:02:48] to advance the Clarity Act. Now, Now, that was a major piece of legislation
[00:02:51] legislation that would have seen
[00:02:53] seen a market structure framework
[00:02:56] framework for cryptocurrency that that has dealt a huge regulatory
[00:02:58] regulatory blow. It's failed. Their
[00:03:00] Their 5049. It needed 60 votes, in
[00:03:03] in fact, to advance. And there is
[00:03:06] is bipartisan support for a regulatory
[00:03:08] regulatory framework here. Over the the weekend, Republicans added in
[00:03:12] in some extra provisions that would
[00:03:14] would see ethics restrictions, which which was designed to ease fears
[00:03:18] fears the Democrats had about the
[00:03:19] the ability of public officials to
[00:03:23] to benefit from cryptocurrency transactions. transactions. So that's a major development
[00:03:27] development there in the regulation regulation of cryptocurrency in this.
[00:03:30] this. Country to the hearts of all all of our constituents. Now then,
[00:03:33] then, it was one of Donald Trump's Trump's key campaign promises that
[00:03:37] that he would end the war in Ukraine
[00:03:39] Ukraine in a single day if he were
[00:03:42] were re-elected as US President. President. Well, it is actually a
[00:03:46] a little over 600 days into his second second term now. And it's fair to
[00:03:49] to say, I think, that peace in Ukraine
[00:03:51] Ukraine seems further away than
[00:03:55] ever. In fact, there have been warnings warnings today from the Defence Minister
[00:03:57] Minister of Lithuania that the conflict conflict may be spreading. That was
[00:04:01] was after Nato jets were required
[00:04:03] required to shoot down a drone over
[00:04:05] over Lithuanian airspace overnight. overnight. This is the moment that
[00:04:08] that that drone which had entered entered the Lithuanian airspace from
[00:04:12] from neighbouring Belarus was intercepted. intercepted. Lithuanian leaders are
[00:04:15] are blaming what happened there on on Russia. And they say cases like
[00:04:19] like this may become even more frequent
[00:04:21] frequent if Moscow is not forced
[00:04:23] forced into peace negotiations. And
[00:04:26] And then separately in northern Europe, Europe, Denmark has reported that
[00:04:29] that a Russian frigate fired two
[00:04:32] two flares towards a Danish military military helicopter off its coast
[00:04:35] coast on Monday. The flares narrowly narrowly missed the aircraft, apparently,
[00:04:38] apparently, which had been on a mission mission to take pictures of the ship.
[00:04:40] ship. Russia's ambassador to Denmark
[00:04:43] Denmark has been summoned. Russia Russia accuses the Danish helicopter
[00:04:46] helicopter of making dangerous manoeuvres
[00:04:49] manoeuvres near its warships. And And of course, all the while Russia
[00:04:53] Russia and Ukraine are continuing continuing to exchange aerial attacks.
[00:04:56] attacks. The governor of Zaporizhzhia Zaporizhzhia said that some power
[00:04:59] power had been cut off in certain certain areas while ships were hit
[00:05:03] hit in Odesa, the Russian city of
[00:05:05] of Taganrog came under large-scale
[00:05:08] large-scale Ukrainian drone attack. Let's talk about all this
[00:05:11] this now with Marie Agnes Zimmerman,
[00:05:15] Zimmerman, who is a German politician politician with the Free Democratic Democratic Party who's been serving
[00:05:19] serving as a member of the European European Parliament since July 2024
[00:05:22] 2024 and is currently chair of the the European Parliament's Committee Committee on Security and Defence.
[00:05:26] Defence. Welcome to the programme. programme. Thanks for being with
[00:05:28] with us. So we've got these various
[00:05:31] various incidents Lithuania involving
[00:05:34] involving Danish military. We also
[00:05:36] also had that Russian attack near near the Polish border on the railway
[00:05:40] railway there, didn't we? The train train I mean what is going on here?
[00:05:42] here? Is this Russia kind of flexing
[00:05:44] flexing its muscles trying to perhaps
[00:05:47] perhaps show Ukraine's allies in
[00:05:49] in Europe, you know, don't interfere. You know, the thing is
[00:05:53] is that Vladimir Putin is not really really successful in Ukraine. He
[00:05:56] He is fighting over four and a half
[00:05:59] half years. And when he attacked attacked the for the second time time the Ukraine. He thought that
[00:06:03] that in a few days he will be in, in, in Kyiv and everything will be
[00:06:06] be fine. Now he. See that first of
[00:06:09] of all, Ukraine is really full of
[00:06:12] of courage and is really protecting protecting their own country and and the European partners and other
[00:06:16] other partners all over the world
[00:06:19] world are helping Ukraine to defend
[00:06:21] defend their country. And now he
[00:06:23] he realised that he have or he tried
[00:06:26] tried to start it. I mean, the whole
[00:06:28] whole world is on fire. It's European
[00:06:31] European world because now he attacks
[00:06:33] attacks hybrid attacks, cyber attacks
[00:06:38] attacks state state terrorism like like the attack to Leipzig airport,
[00:06:41] airport, all these things to really
[00:06:45] really fight against the Western Western world because what is his
[00:06:48] his aim? His aim is that people living living in the European countries
[00:06:52] countries said, come on, stop helping
[00:06:55] helping Ukraine stop all these things.
[00:06:57] things. And so this to make this
[00:06:59] this pressure, it's for many people
[00:07:02] people they feel full of fear. And
[00:07:04] And that's the reason he tried to,
[00:07:07] to, to, to, you know, spread out
[00:07:11] out our continent. And that everybody everybody become nervous. So we have
[00:07:14] have to fight against him. We have have to stop it with all we could
[00:07:17] could have. And it's all over the the continent. It's not only Germany
[00:07:21] Germany for example, it's now you you just said it's Netherlands, it's
[00:07:25] it's Denmark. However, Vladimir Putin
[00:07:28] Putin now is fighting against the the free world in different ways.
[00:07:32] ways. And so we have to stop it.
[00:07:35] it. OK, but does all of that mean mean that essentially the war in
[00:07:39] in Ukraine is spreading or potentially
[00:07:42] potentially spreading across borders borders and that that is a very dangerous
[00:07:45] dangerous place for the world to
[00:07:46] to be in right now? Yes, it's dangerous,
[00:07:50] dangerous, but it's not our fault. fault. I mean, what could we do?
[00:07:53] do? We could say, OK, Ukraine, go go away. It's your job. It's your
[00:07:57] your problem that it's not the answer answer because this war in Ukraine,
[00:08:00] Ukraine, this attack, it's attack
[00:08:02] attack to the free and peaceful world.
[00:08:05] world. And the reason is for sure sure that Vladimir Putin realised
[00:08:09] realised that in military questions questions he's not really successful.
[00:08:12] successful. On the other hand, Ukraine Ukraine is with new drones, with
[00:08:16] with new technologies try to, to to save their own country. And there
[00:08:20] there are many countries who are are on the side of Ukraine because
[00:08:23] because we know if we couldn't stop
[00:08:25] stop or we if Ukraine people couldn't
[00:08:29] couldn't soldiers couldn't stop Russia,
[00:08:31] Russia, then the Baltic states and and other states will be the next
[00:08:35] next for sure. And now he tried to
[00:08:38] to make us nervous with all this this examples which you just told
[00:08:41] told us. This is it's really I mean,
[00:08:44] mean, it's a picture. It's very easy easy to understand what's going on.
[00:08:47] on. And so we have to realise that
[00:08:50] that Vladimir Putin really will never
[00:08:53] never stop because he's absolutely
[00:08:56] absolutely out of control. And so
[00:08:57] so we are we have to protect people
[00:09:00] people living in Europe. Also in in Great Britain, it's not only a
[00:09:03] a question of the Europe of members members of the European Union. Ask
[00:09:07] Ask the Norway colleagues. Everybody
[00:09:09] Everybody has now huge problems and
[00:09:11] and we are strong and we will react. react. We have to react. We have
[00:09:15] have to stop it. And as I said, you
[00:09:18] you are an important voice within within the European Union. You're
[00:09:20] You're currently chair of the European European Parliament's Committee on,
[00:09:24] on, on Security and Defence. Just
[00:09:26] Just briefly, if you will. Does Europe Europe need to be doing more to help
[00:09:30] help Ukraine? Does the European Union Union need to be doing more to help
[00:09:34] help Ukraine? Yes, I think the European
[00:09:37] European Union is really close to to Ukraine, no doubt about it. Not
[00:09:40] Not every country. First of all,
[00:09:42] all, the Ukraine needs more protection
[00:09:46] protection because the attacks is is now really more and more becoming
[00:09:49] becoming more and more terrible. terrible. So air defence is a big
[00:09:52] big issue. Yes. We have to support support them in military question
[00:09:55] question for weapons, but also in in economic questions because they
[00:09:59] they need money for people living
[00:10:00] living there, earning money. And
[00:10:03] And they need monetary help. So we
[00:10:05] we have to be really strong on the the side Ukraine because if Ukraine
[00:10:09] Ukraine will lose this war, we will will have the next years really trouble
[00:10:13] trouble with Russia. And we have
[00:10:15] have to explain, we have to see.
[00:10:17] see. We have to force Vladimir Putin
[00:10:20] Putin for negotiations. Otherwise Otherwise we have not a very not
[00:10:23] not a nice future, not in peace and and not in freedom. And really we
[00:10:27] we have to wake up more and stop stop to be naive. This is a kind
[00:10:31] kind of war nobody could I mean, mean, years before nobody would even
[00:10:35] even think about it. But reality. reality. Welcome to reality. Well,
[00:10:39] Well, we've got your message. Thank Thank you very much indeed. Wake Wake up and stop being naive. Thank
[00:10:43] Thank you. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmerman
[00:10:46] Strack-Zimmerman German politician politician with the Free Democratic Democratic Party who is currently
[00:10:50] currently chair of the European Parliament's Parliament's Committee on Security Security and Defence. Thank you.
[00:10:53] you. Thank you very much. Let's bring bring in our panellists on this.
[00:10:57] this. Chris Meagher, former chief chief Pentagon spokesperson and former
[00:11:00] former White House deputy press secretary secretary in the Biden administration
[00:11:03] administration and Matthew Foldi Foldi editor in chief of The Washington
[00:11:06] Washington reporter and former Republican Republican congressional candidate
[00:11:09] candidate in Maryland. Chris, to to you first, is this exactly these
[00:11:13] these developments in the last few few days, exactly what the fear was
[00:11:17] was when Russia invaded Ukraine,
[00:11:20] Ukraine, that that attack would spread spread into neighbouring countries.
[00:11:22] countries. And that was why the US US and the European nations had to
[00:11:26] to stand together. 100%. You know,
[00:11:29] know, when I was at the Pentagon, Pentagon, we were over in Europe
[00:11:33] Europe on a monthly basis, meeting meeting with a lot of our Nato allies
[00:11:36] allies and other partners in the
[00:11:39] the region, including those on the
[00:11:42] the eastern front of Europe and the
[00:11:45] the Baltics. And you sit down with with those countries like Estonia
[00:11:49] Estonia and others. And that was was their big fear. They knew that
[00:11:52] that they were next on the menu.
[00:11:54] menu. Should Vladimir Putin find
[00:11:57] find success in Ukraine. This war
[00:11:59] war in Ukraine has been an unprovoked unprovoked war of aggression from
[00:12:03] from the very outset. And the entire
[00:12:06] entire reason that we and that our
[00:12:08] our Nato allies are so focused on
[00:12:11] on what happened in Ukraine and providing providing them the support that they
[00:12:15] they need to defend themselves in in this war is to prevent the spread
[00:12:19] spread of Russian aggression beyond
[00:12:23] beyond Ukraine. Obviously, to maintain
[00:12:26] maintain that Ukraine sovereignty sovereignty was, was equally as important.
[00:12:29] important. But to prevent the spread
[00:12:32] spread from for Putin to advance
[00:12:35] advance further into Europe was exactly
[00:12:37] exactly the type of behaviour that
[00:12:39] that we were concerned about. You You know, it was mentioned at some
[00:12:43] some point that President Trump said said he was going to put an end to
[00:12:46] to the war on day one. And, you know,
[00:12:49] know, I my hope is that the United
[00:12:52] United States continues to see that that as a priority putting an end
[00:12:55] end to this war as quickly as possible.
[00:12:57] possible. And that means providing providing Ukraine with the capabilities
[00:13:00] capabilities that it needs to fight fight this war and put themselves
[00:13:04] themselves in the best position to
[00:13:05] to go to the negotiating table and
[00:13:08] and end this thing. Matthew Foldi Foldi I mean, our German guest there
[00:13:12] there was saying we need to wake wake up and stop being naive. I mean,
[00:13:15] mean, some people would say this this is an existential battle against
[00:13:18] against Putin. And yet Donald Trump
[00:13:21] Trump has been naive in the last last few years. He's at times looked
[00:13:24] looked like a friend of Putin and
[00:13:26] and an enemy of Zelensky. You are
[00:13:30] are seeing Trump warm up more to to Zelensky in recent months. But
[00:13:33] But I totally agree with Marie and and you guys in Western Europe. You
[00:13:37] You got to spend more on the military.
[00:13:40] military. When we look at Nato here here in America, Eastern Europe,
[00:13:43] Europe, they get it. They're spending spending a lot more in part because
[00:13:46] because of Trump's tough talk on
[00:13:48] on Nato. But Spain, UK, you guys
[00:13:51] guys got you got got it, got it got got to get a bigger Navy over there
[00:13:54] there because. But that's a slightly slightly different question. That's That's a slightly different question,
[00:13:57] question, Matthew. The question was was more about Trump being soft on
[00:14:01] on Putin and soft on Russia. Yeah,
[00:14:03] Yeah, yeah. Trump just sent his son
[00:14:05] son in law to go try and negotiate
[00:14:08] negotiate with Putin. And it didn't didn't work because this is a guy
[00:14:12] guy who he is. He's been attacking attacking Ukraine, but he's basically
[00:14:15] basically been attacking Nato for for a while. I was in Poland also
[00:14:19] also earlier this year on their border border with Belarus, which they built
[00:14:22] built a giant Trump like wall to
[00:14:25] to stop the flood of illegal immigrants immigrants that Russia was sending
[00:14:29] sending in to eastern Poland. And And once you were in eastern Poland,
[00:14:32] Poland, you are in the EU, you have have freedom of movement to go anywhere
[00:14:36] anywhere that you want. Russia has has been sending. These are not the
[00:14:38] the first drones that Russia has has sent into Nato countries. When
[00:14:42] When does this become a declaration declaration of war? That was something something I was trying to suss out
[00:14:46] out from the Polish government officials officials that I was with. If some
[00:14:49] some of these strikes on trains had
[00:14:51] had succeeded, if some of these cyber cyber attacks on countries like Poland
[00:14:54] Poland that are in Nato had succeeded,
[00:14:56] succeeded, hundreds of people would would die overnight. Is that a declaration
[00:15:00] declaration of war? Is it a declaration declaration of war? Even if that
[00:15:04] that doesn't succeed, I don't know. know. But Trump and Putin, look,
[00:15:07] look, he's said he wants to get peace.
[00:15:09] peace. Putin obviously does not want
[00:15:11] want peace. And these increasing
[00:15:14] increasing incursions into Nato. Nato. Think back to international international relations that everyone
[00:15:18] everyone takes in college. There's There's a discussion of are leaders
[00:15:21] leaders rational? This is not the the moves of a rational leader. And
[00:15:25] And I don't think that this lashing lashing out is the move of someone
[00:15:28] someone who thinks he's winning the the war in Ukraine. There's been
[00:15:31] been obviously a huge escalation escalation there, some momentum for
[00:15:34] for both sides. But if Putin is spreading
[00:15:36] spreading this war into Nato countries, countries, that is probably going
[00:15:39] going to end very poorly for him, him, especially the ones on Eastern Eastern Europe that have been taking
[00:15:43] taking that threat from him very
[00:15:46] very seriously. OK. Well, those are are some of the questions that are
[00:15:49] are being asked in those European
[00:15:51] European capitals these days. Great Great discussion lengths, but we'll
[00:15:55] we'll talk about some more issues issues in just a moment, including
[00:15:58] including AI, which seems to tip tip into every other conversation
[00:16:01] conversation that we have on the the show these days. Do stay with with us around
[00:17:04] algorithm that would help the broadcaster broadcaster compete with the global global streaming giants. That's all
[00:17:08] all on The Media Show on BBC News.
[00:17:16] News. You're watching The Context Context USA on BBC News, while US
[00:17:20] US and Chinese leaders will meet meet in Washington next week. And
[00:17:24] And it would appear that AI artificial artificial intelligence is firming
[00:17:27] firming up as a key and potentially potentially quite testing topic of
[00:17:31] of conversation. Yeah. Meanwhile, Meanwhile, President Trump has continued
[00:17:33] continued to bat away suggestions suggestions from across the political
[00:17:37] political divide that there does
[00:17:38] does need to be greater AI regulation.
[00:17:41] regulation. But this continuing discussion discussion has brought some pretty
[00:17:44] pretty unlikely names together. Indeed,
[00:17:47] Indeed, at a summit here in Washington Washington today, the US Senator
[00:17:50] Senator Bernie Sanders called on on President Trump and his Chinese
[00:17:53] Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to to sign a treaty to pause development
[00:17:57] development of advanced AI technology.
[00:17:59] technology. He warned that this would
[00:18:02] would bring about potentially catastrophic
[00:18:04] catastrophic consequences if it wasn't. wasn't. AI has the potential, as
[00:18:07] as I think we all know, to do some
[00:18:11] some extraordinarily good things things in terms of health care, prescription
[00:18:15] prescription drug development and
[00:18:16] and in many other areas. But the
[00:18:19] the bottom line here is that our
[00:18:22] our job as human beings and our country country and throughout the world
[00:18:26] world is to make sure that AI works
[00:18:29] works for all of the people and does
[00:18:32] does not simply end up making a handful
[00:18:34] handful of the richest people on
[00:18:36] on earth even richer. Well, this
[00:18:39] this really was a summit that bridged bridged the political divide because
[00:18:42] because also there was Steve Bannon, Bannon, a right wing ally of Donald
[00:18:45] Donald Trump. He wants kerbs on AI.
[00:18:48] AI. And today he lashed out at the
[00:18:51] the big companies, accusing them
[00:18:52] them of seeking to turn crisis into
[00:18:56] into their advantage. Every day,
[00:18:59] day, every paper, every time they're they're on TV. Why do we have to
[00:19:03] to keep pushing so hard? Why is it it relentless? Why can't they have
[00:19:06] have any controls if you're not in
[00:19:11] in Accelerationist, you're anti-American.
[00:19:13] anti-American. If you're not an accelerationist, accelerationist, you're pro Chinese
[00:19:17] Chinese Communist Party. If you're
[00:19:20] you're not accelerationist, you're you're almost a Luddite. You want
[00:19:23] want to take America back. Steve
[00:19:26] Steve Bannon there. Well, any new
[00:19:29] new safety legislation on artificial artificial intelligence from Congress
[00:19:32] Congress would be a slightly tricky tricky picture. Unlikely to pass
[00:19:36] pass any time soon. In some cases, cases, this whole dilemma and also
[00:19:39] also the messaging from the White White House is creating a messy reality
[00:19:43] reality for some of the most senior
[00:19:46] senior Republicans on Capitol Hill. Indeed, the Attorney General,
[00:19:50] General, Todd Blanche, was asked asked about AI during a press conference
[00:19:53] conference about the Department of of Justice in the Rose garden at
[00:19:55] at the White House just a short time time ago, and he said the issue was
[00:19:59] was being used as a partisan weapon.
[00:20:02] weapon. The way this has come around around today and not three months
[00:20:06] months ago. I mean, I was watching watching the news today. Every Democrat
[00:20:09] Democrat senator suddenly races to to a microphone to talk about AI
[00:20:12] AI after being eerily silent for for months and months and months. months. So to talk about the timing
[00:20:16] timing of this is being nothing but but an effort to influence the mid-terms.
[00:20:20] mid-terms. I shouldn't have to say say that out loud. Of course, that's that's what it is. That's what it
[00:20:24] it is. And that shouldn't be what
[00:20:27] what drives the, the decisions that that we're making around AI. We can't
[00:20:30] can't lose the AI race to China.
[00:20:34] China. Well, I'm not sure Democratic Democratic senators would quite agree
[00:20:37] agree with his characterisation there, there, but we wanted to get a sense sense of exactly what is happening
[00:20:41] happening in Congress with senators senators and indeed with the members
[00:20:44] members of the House and how it fits fits into that bigger picture. So
[00:20:47] So we're joined by Gabby Miller, Miller, who's POLITICO's AI and tech
[00:20:50] tech congressional reporter on Capitol Capitol Hill. Much discussion about
[00:20:54] about should there be a role for for Congress here in regulating it.
[00:20:58] it. But it would seem that neither neither the White House nor indeed
[00:21:01] indeed the Speaker of the House want want politicians to have that role
[00:21:05] role at this point. Right. And I'm I'm so glad you're having me on,
[00:21:08] on, because I was actually just at at that event with Senator Sanders
[00:21:11] Sanders and Steve Bannon, and both both of them were met with roaring
[00:21:15] roaring applause in the crowd, which which was super interesting. I think
[00:21:19] think Trump's tweets right now are are making Congress's job very, very
[00:21:22] very difficult. So what he's done done is he set up this kind of loyalty
[00:21:26] loyalty test where both Democrats Democrats and Republicans alike are
[00:21:29] are calling for, you know, their
[00:21:31] their members and leadership in their their parties to do something about
[00:21:35] about AI. Right now, the Democrats Democrats don't have power in either
[00:21:38] either chamber. And they're really really getting, you know, their ducks
[00:21:40] ducks in a row and readying their their playbook for when they take
[00:21:43] take control. But at the end of the the day, right now, Republicans have
[00:21:46] have the gavel, the top Republican Republican in the House. You know,
[00:21:49] know, speaker Mike Johnson, he is is very Trump friendly. And right
[00:21:53] right now he's more focused, it seems. seems. On getting the tech executives
[00:21:56] executives and the White House to to sit down and meet, close the door
[00:21:59] door and hash something out. Right Right now he's very much indicated
[00:22:02] indicated that, you know, the house house is only in for two and a half
[00:22:05] half days before they break for the the November mid-term elections.
[00:22:08] elections. So he's indicated he does does not plan to take up any AI legislation
[00:22:12] legislation in the coming days. But But despite growing calls from both
[00:22:15] both of you know, both parties and and then, you know, the top Republican
[00:22:19] Republican in the Senate, you know, know, he has tried to get AI regulation
[00:22:23] regulation across the finish line line for years, and even he's kind
[00:22:26] kind of you know, we need to move, move, move carefully and slowly and
[00:22:30] and try to strike a very a good balance balance between the things. So he's
[00:22:33] he's not coming outright and full full force on, you know, we need
[00:22:36] need to get something done, you know, know, before November because that's
[00:22:39] that's really like the finish line
[00:22:42] line that lawmakers are very. Difficult Difficult with so few sitting days,
[00:22:46] days, as you say, Gabby, but just just talk very briefly to us because because we're almost out of time
[00:22:50] time on the show here. The dynamic dynamic when you have Bernie Sanders
[00:22:54] Sanders and Steve Bannon essentially essentially calling for the same same thing, who would have had that
[00:22:58] that on their bingo card? Right? Right? That's exactly why people
[00:23:01] people laughed in the room when they they pointed that out. I think tech
[00:23:04] tech is interesting because it's it's created a lot of strange bedfellows.
[00:23:08] bedfellows. And I think right now now this is really reached a fever
[00:23:10] fever pitch. Industry forever has has tried to stave off legislation,
[00:23:14] legislation, really built up their their lobbying shops and even they
[00:23:17] they are coming out and saying, you you know, we need to be regulated
[00:23:21] regulated because they understand understand that this is coming. It's It's just a matter of, you know,
[00:23:25] know, when. And so right now, I think think Republicans who historically
[00:23:28] historically have been more industry industry friendly, but not exclusively,
[00:23:31] exclusively, right, they are kind kind of getting on board with industries
[00:23:34] industries calls and trying to pressure pressure leadership. But you know, know, right now it's like, who wants
[00:23:37] wants to stick their neck out and and go against the President? Because,
[00:23:41] Because, you know, ultimately what what Congress passes is going to
[00:23:44] to land on his desk and he has ultimate ultimate veto power. And we've seen
[00:23:48] seen many people pay the price for for crossing the President, haven't haven't we, within the Republican
[00:23:51] Republican Party? Gabby Miller from from Politico thank you very much
[00:23:54] much for joining us here on BBC News.
[00:23:56] News. Thank you. And we'll just go
[00:23:58] go very quickly to our panel on that that because Matthew and Chris, we've
[00:24:02] we've only got two minutes. So a a minute each. Matthew, let's start
[00:24:05] start with you. Calls, bipartisan
[00:24:09] bipartisan calls for controls of of AI because some of the companies
[00:24:12] companies are saying there's a chance chance it could destroy humanity.
[00:24:15] humanity. Donald Trump says it's it's all a hoax. Stakes are very
[00:24:19] very low. I think with all of this,
[00:24:21] this, whether it's with AI or crypto, crypto, look beyond this election.
[00:24:25] election. This portends very poorly poorly for any meaningful bipartisan bipartisan action on anything. If
[00:24:29] If you want to look at the Clarity Clarity Act, which deals with crypto
[00:24:33] crypto over the final days, Republicans Republicans gave Democrats basically
[00:24:36] basically every single thing they they wanted except decapitating Donald
[00:24:39] Donald Trump and giving them his his head on a plate. And it still
[00:24:42] still wasn't enough. So whether Democrats Democrats take control of either
[00:24:45] either or both chambers of Congress Congress in November or not, you
[00:24:48] you still have that 60 vote threshold threshold in the Senate for anything anything meaningful. And if the Clarity
[00:24:52] Clarity Act, for example, which has has huge bipartisan support, can't
[00:24:55] can't get over the finish line, I I don't think anything meaningful,
[00:24:58] meaningful, whether it's AI regulation regulation or crypto, is going to
[00:25:02] to be done until probably 2029. Chris,
[00:25:05] Chris, is that the point? This is
[00:25:07] is so kind of deep and needs a lot lot of thought. They're trying to to rush something through now is
[00:25:11] is just not going to happen. Bipartisan Bipartisan support or otherwise.
[00:25:15] otherwise. Yeah, I mean, I don't don't think we should be looking
[00:25:17] looking at this with the mid-terms mid-terms in mind. Just this weekend,
[00:25:20] weekend, Mike Johnson was on television television saying we shouldn't rush
[00:25:23] rush into a policy discussion. But
[00:25:26] But that's just an example of the
[00:25:29] the lack of leadership we're seeing seeing out of Washington on both
[00:25:32] both sides. We're seeing profound
[00:25:37] profound underreaction dangerous dangerous under preparation on what
[00:25:40] what is an extremely serious issue. issue. Even with all the media attention
[00:25:43] attention and public interest in in this topic, the Washington, DC
[00:25:46] DC needs to wake up and take action action on this. The companies are
[00:25:50] are crying out for it. The American American public is crying out for
[00:25:53] for it, and Congress and the White White House are sitting on their
[00:25:56] their hands. OK, well, you have spoken, spoken, both of you for two minutes.
[00:26:00] minutes. Precisely. So thank you you very much for your brevity. Good
[00:26:03] Good to have you with us, Chris and and Matthew, thank you very much.
[00:26:07] much. You've been
[00:29:44] MUSIC
[00:30:16] Hello, I'm Ben Brown and this
[00:30:18] is The Context on BBC News. Our headlines
[00:30:20] headlines baby wards in England are
[00:30:23] are to get cot cams after an inquiry inquiry into the nurse Lucy Letby
[00:30:26] Letby who murdered seven babies, babies, found that lives could have
[00:30:30] have been saved. The European Union Union chief hits out at what she
[00:30:34] she calls Russia's reckless and dangerous dangerous behaviour after a drone
[00:30:37] drone is shot down by Nato fighter
[00:30:40] fighter jets. China warns against
[00:30:43] against turning outer space into into a battlefield as the United
[00:30:46] United States confirms for the first first time that it has deployed space
[00:30:50] space weapons. The chief executive executive of the tech giant Nvidia
[00:30:54] Nvidia says there's no need for new
[00:30:57] new laws on AI, even though concerns concerns over