USSC Briefing Room

When US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz set up a Signal group chat to coordinate principals for discussions on a US strike on the Houthis in Yemen, he had no idea that the Editor in Chief for The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, was part of the chat and would later share the content of their group chat with the world. Former White House National Security Council Senior Director for Asia and USSC C...

A critical component and potential vulnerability of AUKUS is Australia’s manufacturing capability. And even beyond AUKUS, the 2023 Defence Strategic Review cited the need for a whole-of-nation uplift in manufacturing and investment to fulfil Australia’s defence objectives. What is the state of play for defence manufacturing and investment in Australia? What changes are needed? How could the change...

Since President Trump took office for a second time on 20 January 2025, he has driven an unprecedented level of sweeping governmental change. One of the first and most drastic changes was to the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The Trump administration has cancelled the majority USAID contracts, eliminated 1,600 positions and almost the entire workforce is on administrative leave....

Dr Mara Karlin joined us on the USSC Briefing Rood podcast to talk about her book The Inheritance: America’s Military After Two Decades of War .    What impact did the extended wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have on the US military? What lessons have been learned since this time? And how prepared is the US now for future wars?   Dr Karlin discussed these questions and the conclusions she reached in...

Three years ago, Russian troops invaded Ukraine with air strikes and a ground invasion from the North towards Kyiv, the South from Crimea and the East from the Donbas. Many expected Ukraine to have to surrender almost immediately and give up significant territory to Russia. However, global allies quickly united to support Ukraine through providing weapons and constraining Russia through severe san...

Around the time of President Trump’s first indictment, USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Bruce Wolpe released his latest book, Trump’s Australia: How Trumpism changed Australia and the shocking consequences for us of a second term . Now, less than two years later, President Trump was elected again, this time as a convicted felon. Bruce has just released an updated version of his book following the e...

As President Trump commences his second term in office, he faces a far more contested geopolitical environment than during his first term. From an unresolved war in Ukraine to the war in Gaza, many items will be on Trump’s foreign policy agenda whether he likes it or not.   How could he seek to end the war in Ukraine? What level of priority should be placed on relations with China? What should all...

India has accelerated port infrastructure projects to counter China’s Belt and Road initiative and enhanced connectivity and trade facilitation could boost GDP from 0.4% to 10.6% in South Asia. In an era of heightened competition, improved port infrastructure is one of the most effective ways to diversify and de-risk supply chains, yet Australia has been notably absent from Indian Ocean infrastruc...

When talking about AUKUS, a majority of Australians think it is a good idea for Australia to have nuclear-powered submarines, but much of the public debate is around the cost and whether it is worth the money. One of the most significant aspects of AUKUS is the fact that the United States is agreeing to share some of its most sensitive nuclear technology with Australia, but this requires not just...

Republicans have secured control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Congress authorises the budget, they have exclusive power to declare war and regulate foreign commerce and they authorise important foreign policy appointees. Even before the next Congress is sworn in, we are seeing Congress flex their power in considering President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees. What will be th...

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 w...

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 Nationa...

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 technolog...

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 mu...

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 transit...

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.   Ho...

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...

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?   US...

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 , co...

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 f...

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 preside...

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 cultu...

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, O...

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 u...

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 po...