After months of speculation and one of the most tumultuous campaigns in history, we now know that we will have a second Trump term, beginning on 20 January 2025. How did what looked like a coin-toss election lead to such a resounding outcome? What can we expect to see in a Trump 2.0 administration? What should allies and partners do now to prepare? To discuss these issues, on Monday of last week we welcomed two DC insiders on the podcast. USSC CEO Dr Michael Green is a former White House...

AI, energy security, critical minerals and supply chain issues are all inextricably linked with each other and with US competition with China. Erik Jacobs held several roles in the Trump administration including as policy coordinator for the US Department of Energy’s Office of Strategic Planning and Policy and as a policy advisor in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s National Security and International Affairs team. How can governments maintain energy security as AI...

From Iran’s hack of the Trump campaign to Taylor Swift deepfakes, technology is posing a more overt threat to the US presidential election. At the same time, it is unlocking new opportunities for innovation, economic growth and even record-breaking campaign strategies.   How have we seen technology affect the US presidential election this year? Where are the Trump and Harris campaigns on technology adoption and policy? How could AI and disinformation impact the period between election day an...

In September, the United States Studies Centre released its annual public opinion polling report, Allies and partners poll 2024: Australia the United States and Japan converge on alliance and China despite US election uncertainties. The report surveyed Australian, American and Japanese public opinion on everything from AUKUS and industry policy to regulating AI and fighting disinformation. How much do Australians want to abandon their US alliance if Donald Trump is reelected? Three years into...

Matters of national security are increasingly stretching beyond hard power and into areas of economics, technology and energy. Critical minerals and the clean energy transition are now a core aspect of the US-Australia alliance and they are also playing a larger role in US-China competition, domestic politics and geopolitics around the globe.   How do critical minerals and the clean energy transition relate to national security? How could the US presidential election impact the clean energy...

Despite years of circling in each other’s orbits, Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump only met for the first time on the debate stage on 10 September. Their face-off was the unofficial launch of the final stage of the US presidential election. It was an opportunity for both candidates to make their case to the country and seek to woo those critical undecided voters.   How has the campaign changed since the debate? Did the candidates accomplish what they needed to?...

Today, we're sharing a replay of our episode from 9/11 last year. USSC CEO Dr Michael Green was working for the White House National Security Council during the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. He describes the chaos of the evacuation and the significant changes for US alliances with Australia and others across the globe in the wake of the attack. What was the atmosphere in the White House when they heard the news? What changed after 9/11? What did this mean for US alliances then and...

From the Quad Principles on Critical and Emerging Technology to AUKUS Pillar II, technology is increasingly seen as an issue of national security and it is playing a larger role than ever in US alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.   What is driving this technological cooperation? What can allies and partners gain by working together? What’s next on the tech agenda for the alliance?   USSC Non-Resident Fellow Jennifer Jackett joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on...

Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist David Sanger was one of the few journalists selected to ask President Biden a question in his press conference following the NATO Summit in Washington DC and has reported on Washington during the last seven US presidential administrations. His latest book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West, considers America’s global position in this pivotal time.  What might the 2024 election mean for...

This year, India held the largest democratic exercise in the world as 643 million people voted in their election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi won his third election, however, his party, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), could not secure a majority in the Parliament, leading to the formation of a coalition government. The opposition secured enough seats to have a leader of the opposition for the first time in a decade, setting up a more contested framework for Prime Minister Modi to...

Within a week of President Biden announcing he is ending his candidacy for a second term, Vice President Kamala Harris secured scores of endorsements, set fundraising records and secured enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee.   How would a Harris administration be different from the Biden administration? Who’s on Harris’ VP short list? Does Harris stand a chance against former president Trump?   To discuss these questions, USSC Non-Resident Fellow Victoria Cooper welcomed DC...

Former president Donald Trump narrowly avoided death when a bullet grazed his ear at a campaign rally on 13 July. The images of him rising, holding his fist high and chanting “Fight!” while blood streamed down his face instantly became iconic.   Donald Trump has been called a ‘strongman’ throughout his political career, how does this assassination attempt shape the mythology around him? What cultural factors contribute to his persona and perception at home and abroad? How could this change in...

Last week, NATO leaders gathered in Washington DC for their annual summit, this year celebrating the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. However, much of Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s final summit was overshadowed by scrutiny of President Biden and then quickly followed by the assassination attempt on former president Trump and the announcement of his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance.   What was the main objective for NATO at this summit and was it achieved?...

The US Supreme Court handed down their ruling in former president Trump’s immunity case and it granted far broader immunity than most experts anticipated. Why was the ruling so expansive? What does this mean for Trump’s criminal trials? How will this change the presidency going forward? To discuss these issues, we welcomed Chas Licciardello from ABC’s Planet America back on the podcast to follow up on his initial discussion with USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck. Read the full...

President Biden’s approval rating is at an all-time low and the number of “double haters” who want neither candidate is at an all-time high. The US system is driving the selection of candidates further and further away from the mainstream.  Campaign financing contributes to this.   How did Trump and Biden become their party’s nominee with so little public support? What systems contribute to the polarisation of politics? Could campaign finance reform lead to candidates with a broader...

Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s debate in Atlanta was always going to be one for the history books. Never before had a general election debate occurred before the party conventions officially named them as their presidential nominees. But following a debate performance that even President Biden conceded was not his best, the most historical aspect of the debate was how many Democrats want to take advantage of the early debate timing and change their nominee altogether.    If Democratic primary...

As American politics has become increasingly polarised, experts and analysts have explored avenues for electoral reform to shift voting to be more representative. One solution is ranked-choice voting (RCV), which is standard in Australia, but only appears in a fraction of jurisdictions in the United States.   Why is ranked-choice voting so rare in the United States? What is driving the movement to adopt it in more jurisdictions? How can Australia’s method of voting address “the fundamental...

On 17 June 2021, President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making the day a federal public holiday.   What did this new holiday celebrate? What role does Juneteenth play in American history? How is it different from Martin Luther King Jr Day?   To discuss these questions Senior Lecturer in American Studies at the United States Studies Centre (USSC) Dr Kathryn Schumaker joined Director of Research Jared Mondschein on the podcast.   Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room...

The war in Ukraine was a wake-up call for nations around the world as they saw how quickly one crisis could consume the national supply of certain munitions. The Australian Government addressed this in both its 2023 Defence Strategic Review and 2024 National Defence Strategy through the prioritisation of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) and acceleration of the GWEO enterprise. However, these aspirations are a long way from becoming reality and bridging the gap from where we...

In November, Americans will head to the polls to cast their vote for who will hold the most powerful office in the world – Joe Biden or Donald Trump. But it isn’t only Americans who are impacted.   What would a Trump administration vs Biden administration 2.0 mean for allies and partners around the world? What will stay the same regardless of who wins? And, importantly, what can countries do now to prepare for the next four years?   Last week, the USSC released its election-year Red Book |...

On 20 May 2023, on the sidelines of the Quad Leaders’ Summit, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a third pillar of the Australia-US alliance: the climate, critical minerals and clean energy transformation compact.   What does this compact involve? How much progress has been made in the past year? What will happen to this pillar of the alliance if former president Trump is re-elected?   To discuss these issues, USSC Non-Resident Fellow Lachlan Carey joined...

Economic security is on the minds of leaders everywhere. From trade barriers to industrial policy to crackdowns on foreign investments, growing strategic competition is shaping the global economy.   What is economic security? What are the trade-offs involved? And how can Australia adapt to this changing world?   Director of Economic Security Hayley Channer is joined by USSC Non-Resident Fellow Helen Mitchell to discuss Helen's new report: Unlocking economic security: a strategic playbook for...

In January, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that there is no presidential immunity that would shield former president Trump from prosecution in the case against him regarding his actions to overturn the results of the 2020 election. But the US Supreme Court said they would take up the question, hearing the oral arguments on their last day of this judicial term. Why did the Supreme Court step in after the DC Circuit Court of Appeals had made a unanimous ruling? What is at stake for...

In honour of International Jazz Day, we’re releasing a special episode of the USSC Briefing Room with the Founder and Director of The Jazz and Democracy Project® (J&D) Dr Wesley Watkins. His program integrates jazz into the study of US history, government, civics and culture, specifically, but also into the humanities more broadly, making J&D a captivating way for students to engage democratic and egalitarian ideals through a range of themes and subject areas. It has been widely...