USSC Briefing Room

Australia has long had a fascination with US politics, but now US news outlet POLITICO is bringing Australian politics to the US and the world. How similar are the MAGA and One Nation movements? What is something Americans should know about Australian politics at the moment? And why come to Canberra?

Launch Editor of POLITICO’S Canberra Playbook Ryan Heath joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the podcast to discuss.

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This year marks 20 years since the establishment of the United States Studies Centre (USSC), which has since welcomed more than 20,000 students and has grown to become one of Australia’s largest think tanks and one of the largest American Studies institutions globally.

What was the original purpose for establishing the USSC? Twenty years on, has it fulfilled these objectives? What does the future look like for the USSC?

The USSC founding CEO Dr Alan Dupont and current CEO Dr Michael Green joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the podc...

America’s independence was a catalyst for the founding of Australia and the pursuit of land that drove the settlement of America continued in new ways after the Revolutionary War.

How did the American Revolution remake maps across the globe? What role has the pursuit of land played in America’s founding and beyond? How did this play out in Australia versus America?

In honour of America’s semiquincentennial, the USSC has published a compilations of essays and recent polling: Reflections on America at 250 and we are releasing a series of podcast...

When Americans landed on the moon, it was a political statement heard around the world. But the innovation that accelerated the space race didn’t start with the Cold War, it goes back to the founding of America.

What was it about the Declaration of Independence that set the trajectory for American innovation? How has the throughline of innovation played out through American history? What does this mean as we look to the next phase of the space race?

In honour of America’s semiquincentennial, the USSC has published a compilations of ess...

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” This line from the Declaration of Independence is known around the world, but how did this sit alongside the existence of slavery? What broader themes should influence our interpretation of the language of the declaration? And how do you address these themes in a classroom setting?

In honour of America’s semiquincentennial, the USSC has published a compilations of essays and recent polling: Reflections on America at 250 and we are releasing a series of podcast episodes with the authors. In the third episode...

The words of the Declaration of Independence are world famous and, in many ways, America’s founding documents are “sacred” although they are secular. What makes America’s Declaration of Independence and Constitution unique? How are Australia’s founding documents different? How have these differences played out in the relationship between these foundational documents and their people?

In honour of America’s semiquincentennial, the USSC has published a compilations of essays and recent polling: Reflections on America at 250 and we are releasing a series of podcast episodes with the authors. In the second episode in the series we...

Australia’s history over the past 250 years is inextricably linked with the American experiment. What are the successes and challenges of the US diverse and decentralised governance model? How have US politics influenced Australian politics? Can One Nation become like the MAGA movement under a different political system?

In honour of America’s semiquincentennial, the USSC has published a compilations of essays and recent polling: Reflections on America at 250 and we will release a series of podcast episodes with the authors. In the first episode in the series we are speaking with Professor Benjamin Reilly about...

The term “economic security” is having a bit of a moment. While generally unheard of a few years ago, the past three Australian budget speeches have all mentioned economic security and this year, the Australian government announced $38.9 million in funding to increase economic security and resilience and countries around the world are starting to move beyond free trade or investment deals to ink economic security deals. What is economic security? How does it relate to issues like the Iran war and competition with China? What can allies and partners do to bolster their economic security?
This year, the Unit...

From online chatbots to enormous data centres, it is increasingly difficult to ignore artificial intelligence in our daily lives. Do governments still stand a chance to shape the future of AI development? What could Australia’s data centre boom mean for the nation’s energy grid? Does Australia have a role to play when it comes to the Indo-Pacific’s regional AI capabilities?

Director of Strategic Technologies at the United States Studies Centre Olivia Shen, and Research Associate in Strategic Technologies Johanna Lim joined the USSC Briefing Room to answer these questions.

Last month the Trump administration submitted the largest defence budget request in history – US$1.5 trillion, which is a 40% increase from the prior year. At the same time, the administration is seeking to circumvent Congress’ ‘power of the purse’ through various legislative manoeuvres, effectively expanding the powers of the executive branch.

What can the budget request tell us about the Trump administration’s defence priorities? How are they changing the balance of powers through the budget process? Are these changes likely to be long-lasting or easily reversable?

Research Fellow Tom Corben and Senior Resea...

For our 100th episode, USSC CEO Dr Michael Green joins the podcast to discuss Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to Australia last week. She and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese shared a number of joint statements on economic security, critical minerals, energy security, cyber and defence and security cooperation and announced the Australia-Japan leadership dialogue. However, there was no joint press conference, no speech before parliament, no major interviews and, not surprisingly, far less media coverage than Mark Carney’s visit. Dr Green discusses the purpose of Takaichi’s visit to Australia and where Australia-Japan relations should go nex...

Throughout March and April, Pope Leo XIV began speaking out against the war in Iran and the violence, saying it was an “unjust war.” Shortly after 60 Minutes aired an episode with Catholic officials criticising the war, President Trump started attacking the Pope on social and then shared the now-infamous image of Trump as a Christ-like figure.

Why are both the Pope and Donald Trump so focused on speaking out against each other? What is the political fallout of the “Jesus Trump” image? Is this war of words unique or just par for the course?

Space exploration has recaptured the public imagination. The successful Artemis II mission to the Moon heralds a new era of human spaceflight beyond low-Earth orbit for the first time since the 1970s. The United States, China and other global space powers are now racing to return to the Moon and beyond.

But what role could Australia play in this 21st century space race? What are the opportunities and challenges in outer space? And why does anything that happens up there even matter down here on Earth?

Space expert Dr Kathryn Robison, Lecturer in A...

Amid rising global tensions, Taiwan continues to be a regional flashpoint in the Indo-Pacific. What is the current state of Australia-Taiwan relations? What challenges does Taiwan face in a new security era? How should regional allies and partners engage with Taiwan on its own terms — and what could this mean for China’s grand strategy?

Professor Peter Dean, Senior Advisor for Defence Strategy at the United States Studies Centre, and Professor Bec Strating, Director at the La Trobe Centre for Global Security, joined the USSC Briefing Room to discuss these questions. Along with other Australian secur...

From the expiration of the New START Treaty to the war with Iran, headlines about nuclear risks are consistently in the news at the moment.

How significant is the expiration of the New START Treaty? How have nuclear risks changed since the war with Iran began? What are the major nuclear threats facing the world at the moment?

Dr Daniel Salisbury joined the USSC Briefing Room to discuss these issues. Daniel is Senior Fellow for Nuclear Arms Control, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament at the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the author of Secrecy, P...

In this episode USSC CEO Dr Michael Green and USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein sat down with USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on Friday, 6 March 2026 to discuss the latest on the war with Iran.

What led the United States to attack Iran now? How does this compare to the Iraq War and actions of prior administrations? How are US allies responding?

Mike draws on his experience in the White House during the Iraq War and Jared addresses broader Middle East dynamics to unpack this issue and what it...

The Trump administration recently completed its AUKUS review, including a directive from President Trump to proceed “full steam ahead” on AUKUS Pillar I. But even after securing the Trump stamp of approval, there has been comparatively little information on how the review handled Pillar II and experts have raised concerns about the growing scope of advanced capabilities it now includes.

Is AUKUS Pillar II fit for purpose? Which advanced capabilities can deliver the best return on investment in the near term? Is AUKUS Pillar II a “solution in need of a problem”?

USSC Non...

Are we seeing a rupture or a transition in 2026? USSC CEO Dr Michael Green and USSC Director of Foreign Policy and Defence Dr Lavina Lee sat down with host Mari Koeck to discuss what the geopolitical developments in Iran, Venezuela and Greenland mean for alliances and middle powers.

Can NATO survive the Greenland pressure? What is the end game with Venezuela and Iran? How should middle powers like Canada and Australia respond?

Tune in to hear Mike and Lavina’s candid assessments of US foreign intervention and the response by Canadian Prim...

India’s relationships with key international partners changed significantly in 2025. Following the tariff standoff with the United States, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was in close meetings with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin at the Shanghai Cooperation Summit. And an Indian Defence Minister visited Australia for the first time in 12 years in October.

What is driving these changes in India’s international relationships? Will they have a long-term impact? Where is the future of India-US and India-Australia relationships headed?

USSC Maitri Fellow Rushali Saha joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the podcast to d...

Admiral Lisa Franchetti’s career spanned 40 years, nearly half of which was at sea. She was the first woman to serve as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the first woman to serve as Chief of Naval Operations and only the second woman to ever be promoted to four-star admiral in the US Navy.

When visiting Australia in November, Admiral Franchetti (ret’d) joined Research Fellow Tom Corben on the podcast to discuss: What has changed in the global security environment from the Cold War to now? What do the changes over the past year indi...

Recently we have seen cracks forming within the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement. We are seeing Republican members of Congress push back on issues, like the Epstein files or President Trump’s approach to Ukraine, in the most significant way since he took office in January.

 What is causing these rifts within the MAGA movement? Is MAGA whatever President Trump says it is? How are these tensions likely to play out?

Non-Resident Senior Fellow Lester Munson joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck to discuss these questions. Lester has held multiple positions on Cap...

The United States Studies Centre (USSC) has just released our annual Allies and partners poll. 
The USSC polled publics in Australia, the United States, Japan and, for the first time this year, India. This means there was polling data to compare public opinion across all four Quad countries.
Where do the Quad countries stand on Trump, security and the future of the Indo-Pacific? What are the biggest similarities and differences between the Quad countries on foreign policy? How has Trump 2.0 changed US relationships with these countries? How supportive are the four publics of militarising the Quad or s...

On 2 April 2025, President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on most countries around the globe as part of “Liberation Day” but is the president allowed to impose tariffs like that? This is the question the US Supreme Court is considering at the moment.

What were the arguments for and against the presidential power to unilaterally tariff? How are the justices likely to decide? How could their decision impact one of the president’s signature policies?

To consider these questions, we invited ABC’s Planet America Co-Host Chas Licciardello back on the podcast with Director of Impact and Engageme...

As China’s rapid military modernisation reshapes the regional security landscape, deterrence has become the cornerstone of US and allied strategies in the Indo-Pacific. Former US Marine Corps Commandant General David Berger (ret’d) joined the USSC Briefing Room, reflecting on the bold reforms that transformed the Marine Corps and the growing importance of interoperability with allies like Australia for deterrence.

How do these changes strengthen deterrence? What role does cultural understanding play in preventing conflict? And what does the future hold for US readiness in a contested region?

Recently, a gunman killed four people and wounded eight at a Latter Day Saints (or Mormon) church in Michigan. President Trump described this as “yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America” – but there are distinct differences between this and other high-profile shootings.

How was this similar to or different from other attacks on religious institutions in America? What are the motivations behind these attacks? Is there a throughline between the assassination of Charlie Kirk and an attack on an LDS church in Michigan?

Associate Professor in American...

President Trump wants to make American shipbuilding great again. China has significant dominance in shipbuilding with 34% of all ships on water being made in China and 57% of ships under construction being made in China.

How do systems around finance and infrastructure influence global power dynamics? How much of a concern is increasing US shipbuilding? What role does Australia play in the shipbuilding ecosystem?

2025 USSC-American Australian Association Fellow Dr Mary Bridges joined USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck to discuss these issues. Dr Bridges is currently an Ernest May Fellow at...

This week Lisa Curtis joins the podcast. She is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Indo-Pacific Program for a New American Security and she served in the US Government for more than 20 years across the White House National Security Council, CIA, State Department and Capitol Hill.

What has changed in America at home and abroad from a year ago? Are US alliances fit for purpose? Where can US allies go from here?

These were key questions that Lisa Curtis looked at in her panel discussions at Sydney International Strategy Forum 2025. We...

When Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited China this year, his visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding got some of the most media attention.

How did pandas become China’s national treasure and how are they used in diplomacy? Could trade wars or heightened competition with China lead to the removal of pandas from the United States or other countries? What role will this “national treasure” play in future international relations?

Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy at USSC David Smith and Senior Lecturer in Government and International Relations at the...

Legislation is hard to pass in the United States, but tends to have a longer-lasting impact than executive orders, which can be easily overturned. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act put climate change at the forefront of his legislative agenda. Now, with President Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, we see the first major legislative action of Trump 2.0, particularly related to climate change and energy.

How “Trump proof” was Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act? How does the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act change the dial on energy and climate policy? What will be the lasting ene...

Six years after his death in prison, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continues to make headlines due to his longtime friendship with President Trump. While most news cycles in the Trump-era have a flashbang approach, this one has remarkable staying power and the legal logistics are key to understanding the story.

What was the legal case against Epstein and his partner Ghislaine Maxwell? How have the FBI and DOJ handled questions around this case under Trump? Why is there a strong possibility Maxwell could win her Supreme Court appeal?

USSC Honorary Associate Dr H...

The White House has recently released America’s AI Action Plan: Winning the race and, in launching the plan, President Trump said, “America is the country that started the AI race. And as President of the United States, I’m here today to declare that America is going to win it.”

How much of the AI Action Plan is about competing with China? What is in the plan and what’s missing? What could or should Australia’s role be in the AI race?

Director of Strategic Technologies Olivia Shen joined Director of En...

Before he even took office for his second term, President Trump began pushing for what became known as the 'Big Beautiful Bill' (BBB). Rather than taking a piecemeal approach to legislation, he wanted to take Republicans’ majority in Congress and push for one piece of sweeping legislation. On the 4th of July 2025, he signed the One Big Beautiful Bill into law.

What is (and isn’t) in the BBB? How did Republicans manage to get it through the narrow majorities in Congress? And what does this mean for Trump’s agenda going forward?

Non...

When President Trump’s war on international trade barriers kicked-off, the sweeping scale and scope of his tariffs were staggering. But even after Liberation Day, there’s one proposed tariff that seems to have caught many by surprise – the 100% tariff on any US films produced in different countries.

From The Matrix to The Fall Guy, Australia has been a destination of choice for many US films, so what sort of impact could these proposed tariffs have on Australia’s film industry? How does President Trump view this as a national security issue? How should international film indu...

Economic security is becoming increasingly important amidst growing geopolitical tensions. In light of China's 2010 rare earth mineral export restrictions and the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on supply chains, Japan has prioritised not only strengthening supply chain resilience and market competitiveness but also building up Japan's geo-economic influence to counteract foreign economic pressure through the 2022 Economic Security Promotion Act.

How does Japan's idea of economic security differ from the United States and Europe? What role does government-industry coordination play? And what lessons can Australia draw from Japan’s experience?

Kazuto Suzuki sat down with...

Initial results of Elbridge Colby’s AUKUS review are expected soon, but this feeds into broader conversations around increasing defence spending and even the role Australia can play in Trump’s “Golden Dome” project.

Where have we seen shifts and continuity from Biden to Trump in defence policy? How can Australia thread the needle to negotiate best outcomes for AUKUS by looking at Golden Dome and defence spending? What impact is Trump’s defence policy having in the Indo-Pacific?

Kelly Magsamen joined Mari Koeck on the podcast to discuss these issues. Kelly was fo...

In the third episode in our series on Unpacking Trump 2.0 we sat down with USSC Senior Economic Adviser Dr John Kunkel to talk about tariffs under President Trump.

Where did President Trump’s love of tariffs come from? Are they effective? And how can US trading partners respond?

For more on this topic, check out Dr Kunkel’s write-up for Unpacking Trump 2.0, Tariffs: Uncertainty abounds.

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Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

This year’s NATO Summit is held in The Hague with the backdrop of strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites and significant changes in the US relationship with Ukraine. How is this year’s summit different from last year? How will the United States engage with the forum? What outcomes might we see from the summit this year?

USSC’s Non-Resident Senior Fellow Jane Hardy and Senior Lecturer in US Politics and Foreign Policy Dr Gorana Grgic sat down with Director of Research Jared Mondschein to discuss these questions. This episode was recorded shortly before the Unite...

Dealmaking is one of the defining characteristics of the Trump 2.0 presidency. And this is perhaps most obvious in critical minerals. From the critical minerals deal with Ukraine to the ongoing trade dispute between the US and China, critical minerals are front of mind for this administration. Why are critical minerals so important to President Trump and is this different to the Biden administration? How vulnerable is the United States when it comes to critical minerals? And what does this mean for Australia or other critical minerals producing US allies? 

USSC Director of Economic Security Hayley Ch...

In his first few months in office, President Trump has followed a markedly different course in his second term compared to his first.
How far can Trump’s “move fast and break things” approach to governing get him? What is happening behind the headlines? What can Australia and other US allies do in response?
To answer these questions, USSC is releasing Unpacking Trump 2.0, a guide for US allies and partners to understand what is happening in Washington and what it means for the rest of the world. We will be releasing a series of podcast episodes to comple...

When Democrats lost the 2024 election, questions immediately swirled around President Biden and his decision to run again. Just as a new book critical of Biden was about to launch, a spokesperson for the former president announced he had just been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.

What role did Biden’s decision to first run and then withdraw from the 2024 presidential race play in the Democrats’ sweeping losses? What new insights are revealed in the new book? How does Biden’s cancer diagnosis shape the narrative on these issues and Biden’s legacy?