After America

It’s only been SIX MONTHS. On this episode of After America , Dr Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman take a step back to reflect on what’s happened since Trump was inaugurated in January. Tl;dr: it's all pretty grim. This discussion was recorded on Monday 21 July 2025. 1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. Call&n...

A 200 per cent tariff on pharmaceuticals would help Big Pharma make bigger profits, but it’d be a disaster for Americans’ health. Dr Ruth Mitchell, neurosurgeon and Nobel Peace Prize winner with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss why a growing number of Australians want an AUKUS review, Trump’s pharmaceuticals tariffs, and what...

The legislation will turbocharge inequality and the climate catastrophe – and it’s all part of the administration’s plan to radically reshape American society. On this episode of After America , Dr Emma Shortis discusses how Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ will further redistribute wealth from lower and middle class people to the richest Americans, before Josh Born...

Last week, President Donald Trump announced that the United States had signed a trade deal with China. Did it though? On this episode of After America , Professor James Laurenceson, Director of the Australia-China Relations Institute, joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the Trump administration’s confused approach to China and how Australia is navigating these complex relationships. This discus...

It’s never about regime change (until it is). On this episode of After America , Dr Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman discuss Trump’s decision to bomb three Iranian nuclear sites, the comparisons with America’s 2003 invasion of Iraq, and what this decision could mean for Australia. This discussion was recorded on Monday 23 June 2025 and things may have changed since recording. You...

Australia traded sovereignty for security with the AUKUS submarine deal, but it might end up with neither. On this episode of After America , Malcolm Turnbull, Australia’s 29th Prime Minister, joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss Trump’s AUKUS review, Anthony Albanese’s meeting with Trump, and why Australia doesn’t share values with the US administration. This discussion was re...

Musk may be out, but the influence of the tech bros has never been greater. On this episode of After America , Dr Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman discuss Trump’s dystopian presidency, the administration’s renewed pressure on the Australian government to increase defence spending, and the end of the Trump-Musk bromance. This discussion was recorded on Friday 6 June 2025 and things may h...

Trump promised a golden age for the US economy – and now a golden dome to protect the continent. On this episode of After America , Matt Duss joins Emma Shortis to sort the signal from the noise in the Trump administration’s foreign policy. They discuss Trump’s approach to the Middle East, its negotiations with Iran, and the continued influence of China hawks in his Cabinet. This...

Trump’s confrontation of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was about trying to show who’s in charge. On this episode of After America , Dr Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman discuss Trump’s false claims about ‘white genocide’, the administration’s war on Harvard University, Kamala Harris on the Goldie, and whether Anthony Albanese’s talk about “pr...

Donald Trump isn’t an aberration – he’s as much a product of American history as JFK or Barack Obama. On the 50th episode of After America , Nick Bryant joins Dr Emma Shortis to reflect on the second Trump presidency, why division is the default in American political history, and what the United States might look like after Trump. This discussion was recorded on Thursday 15 May 2...

With Americans facing shortages and price hikes, the Trump administration is orchestrating a colossal transfer of wealth and power to the very rich . On this episode of After America , Elizabeth Pancotti, economic policy specialist and former advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders, joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss what the second Trump administration is doing to the American economy. This discussion wa...

How big a role did Trump play in Australia’s remarkable federal election result?   On this episode of After America , Dr Emma Shortis joins Angus Blackman to discuss whether Anthony Albanese’s massive election victory is part of a global “repudiation” of Trumpism and what new Australia Institute polling reveals about Australians’ views on Trump and the alliance.&...

The white men in the White House are trying to radically reshape modern America . On this episode of After America , Dr Prudence Flowers joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the Trump administration’s attempts to ‘re-masculinise’ the American economy through tariffs, its efforts to undermine trans and reproductive rights, and how culture wars are playing out in Australian politics. 1...

The United States is disappearing down an authoritarian rabbit hole and Australian leaders are struggling to respond . On this crossover episode of After America and Follow the Money , Ebony Bennett and Dr Emma Shortis discuss the US administration’s mass deportations, the scandals surrounding the Departments of Defense and State, and why Australian democratic institutions are worth defendin...

However well the 47th president hit ‘em in Florida, he cannot find a green with his tariffs. On this episode of After America , Daniel James, award-winning journalist and host of the 7am podcast, joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the potential blowback against Trump’s tariffs at the midterms and whether the next federal government might introduce a little more transparency into Australi...

The Australian defence and foreign policy establishment is trying to continue with alliance-as-usual with America, but Trump will always put Australia’s interests second. On this episode of After America , Dr Richard Denniss joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the economic impact of Trump’s tariffs, why Australia has never really had a ‘free’ trade agreement with America, and...

The Trump administration’s approach to the world can be summed up in three emojis: fist, American flag, fire. The president, meanwhile, is busy “not joking” about staying in office for an unconstitutional third term. On this episode of After America , Allan Behm joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the ongoing fallout from the Signal chat debacle, the dire situation facing Ukraine, a...

Trump has signed an Executive Order the seeks to dismantle the Federal Department of Education – but can he actually do it? On this episode of After America , Dr Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman discuss Trump administration group chats, Big Pharma’s big whinge, and the history of conservative efforts to dismantle the federal Education department. This discussion was recorded on Tuesday...

The will-he-or-won't-he game over Trump’s steel and alumnium tariffs is over. Turns out he will – despite the apparent offerings of the Australian Government. On this episode of After America , Dr Ruth Mitchell joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss how Canada and Australia have responded to tariffs, what America’s decision to sell out Ukraine means for efforts to abolish nuclear weapo...

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Australia joins us to discuss why defending Ukraine’s sovereignty is critical for Australia, America and other democracies around the world. On this episode of After America , His Excellency Vasyl Myroshnychenko joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the importance of upholding the international rule of law, the deterioration of relations between Ukraine and the Trump...

After a week when America’s reliability as an ally was called into question, new research shows that more Australians think Donald Trump is the greatest threat to world peace than either Xi Jinping or Vladimir Putin. On this episode of After America , Dr Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman discuss the shocking public disintegration of relations between the United States and Ukraine, why many Aus...

Trump appears to want a quick and dirty end to Russia’s invasion, but at what cost to Ukraine and to America’s reputation?   On this episode of After America , Dr Gorana Grgić joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss Trump’s plans for Ukraine, the MAGA movement’s support for Europe’s resurgent far-right parties, and the new Cabinet’s approach to ‘prioritising...

The Trump administration is chatting with Putin and telling European leaders that they’re the problem. So what does this mean for Australia? On this episode of After America , Senator David Shoebridge, the Australian Greens Spokesperson for Defence and Veterans Affairs, joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss cultural cringe, the Australian Government’s response to Trump’s tariffs and w...

Trump’s proposal for the US to “own” Gaza and force out the Palestinian population would make it American policy to support “a crime against humanity”, says US foreign policy expert, Matt Duss. On this episode of After America , Matt Duss, Executive Vice-President at the Washington DC-based Center for International Policy, joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss Trump’...

We discuss US tariffs against its three largest trading partners, the political battle over who gets to be American, and Trump’s imperial ambitions. On this episode of After America , Associate Professor Clare Corbould joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the relentlessness of the new Trump administration and the media coverage of his first two weeks in office. This discussion was recorded on Fr...