Trump one year on, Family estrangement, Testing on pregnant women, Caroline Mitchell

Trump one year on, Family estrangement, Testing on pregnant women, Caroline Mitchell

Author: BBC Radio 4 January 20, 2026 Duration: 56:25

We are a year into US President Trump's second term. He says he will tell European leaders "we have to have" Greenland at this week's forum in Davos, Switzerland and impose tariffs if they oppose him. Trump regularly hailed himself as the anti-war president on the campaign trail - and he's described himself since as the "president of peace" - but there are some who accuse him of waging a "war on women" since taking office. So, after a year back in the White House, how have the policies of President Trump’s administration impacted women? Nuala McGovern is joined by Anne McElvoy, an executive editor at Politico and Jennifer Ewing, Spokesperson for Republicans Overseas UK.

Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, the eldest son of the Beckhams, has said that he is not in touch with his family and does not want to reconcile with them. We don’t all live our family lives on social media, but most of us do have moments when we question whether our relationships with them are good for us. How do you know when you’ve reached the point when the right thing to do could be to walk away? Eilidh Dorgan and psychotherapist Dr Sara Young discuss.

More than 90% of medicines have never been tested in pregnancy, leaving millions of women worldwide facing an impossible choice, go without treatment, or take medication you’re not certain is safe for your baby. The World Health Organisation is preparing to work with scientists, doctors and drug developers on what could be the biggest shift in decades, rethinking whether pregnant women should take part in drugs trials. Nuala talks to Martina Penazzato from the Science for Health Department at the World Health Organization (WHO) and Dr Teesta Dey, Maternal Technical Consultant at the World Health Organization and a Maternal Health Researcher at the University of Liverpool.

Caroline Mitchell spent almost 10 years working for the police, including as a detective in the Criminal Investigation Department, before becoming a full-time writer. Her latest novel, The Ice Angels, has tinges of the Nordic-noir genre and is the first of a series featuring Elea, a Finnish detective whose daughter went missing 10-years earlier. She tells Nuala about the importance of writing for her and why the cityscape of Lincoln and Finland feeds into her work.

This programme has been edited since broadcast.

Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Andrea Kidd


For decades, Woman's Hour from BBC Radio 4 has been a fixture in British life, creating a unique space where the experiences of women are centered and explored in full. This isn't just a series of interviews; it's a daily conversation that feels both urgent and timeless, tackling everything from front-page news and political shifts to intimate personal stories and cultural shifts. Each episode brings together a diverse range of voices-activists, artists, scientists, politicians, and everyday people-to dissect the issues that shape society. You'll hear nuanced debates on health, family, work, and identity, alongside insightful discussions on books, music, and ideas that are defining our moment. The podcast captures all of this, offering a thoughtful and often challenging listen that refuses to simplify the complexities of modern life. It’s where a headline is unpacked with depth, a personal struggle is given context, and inspiration is found in unexpected places. Tuning into this podcast means joining a long-running dialogue that consistently informs, provokes thought, and connects the personal to the political, all through the lens of women's lives and perspectives.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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