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 Politics and Foreign Policy at the United States Studies Centre David Smith joined the podcast to discuss these questions. He is one of Australia’s leading experts on religious persecution in America and is the author of Religious Persecution and Political Order in the United States.
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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 Harvard’s Belfer Center and she’s the author of the book Dollars and Dominion: U.S. Bankers and the Making of a Superpower. Her research looks at the intersection of US foreign relations and business history. While in Australia, she conducted research on shipbuilding and infrastructure in both the United States and Australia.
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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 took a deeper dive into these topics on the podcast.
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Produced by: Elliott Brennan
Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat
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 University if Sydney Minglu Chen joined the podcast to discuss their recent paper in The Pacific Review titled “Panda diplomacy revisited: state interests and public emotions.”
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Produced by: Elliott Brennan
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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 energy legacy of Trump 2.0?
Director of Research Jared Mondschein sat down with USSC Non-Resident Fellow Lachlan Carey to discuss these issues. Lachlan is a manger at RMI, where he leads work on US regional economic development through clean energy investment. He is also the author of the Trump 2.0 chapter “Climate and energy policies: Executing the Inflation Reduction Act.”
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Produced by: Elliott Brennan
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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 Harry Melkonian joined the podcast to discuss these issues. Dr Melkonian is a legal educator and has extensive experience in practicing law in both the United States and Australia.
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Produced by: Elliott Brennan
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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 Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the podcast to discuss these questions. Olivia previously led the Data Science and AI Strategy section for the Australian Department of Home Affairs and she was a Fulbright Scholar looking at the ethics of AI in national security.
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Produced by: Elliott Brennan
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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-Resident Senior Fellow Lester Munson joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the podcast to discuss these questions. Munson has held multiple positions on Capitol Hill and is Principal and Managing Director of the International Practice at BGR Group.
For more on this topic, read Munson's latest write of for The Conversation: Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ has passed the US Senate – these are the winners and losers.
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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 industry businesses respond?
Senior Lecturer in the University of Sydney Business School Dr Mike Seymour joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck to discuss these issues. Dr Seymour's work focuses on the digital transformation of creative industries and the future of media production.
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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 USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein to discuss these questions. Kazuto is a professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo and Director of the Institute of Geoeconomics at the International House of Japan.
This activity was supported by the Australian Government via a grant from the Australia-Japan Foundation.
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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 former Chief of Staff to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and she is a Senior Advisor at The Asia Group. Kelly was a visiting fellow with the USSC as part of the Centre’s “Next Generation Leaders in the Australia-US Alliance” project.
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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
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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 United States launched its attack on Iran.
For more on this topic, check out Dr Grgic’s write-up for Unpacking Trump 2.0, Ukraine: Moving beyond the 24-hour deadline.
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Produced by: Elliott Brennan
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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 Channer joined the podcast for the second episode of our Unpacking Trump 2.0 series. She wrote the chapter on critical minerals and is across Australia’s strategic position from both an economic and national security perspective.
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Produced by: Elliott Brennan
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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 complement chapters including on trade and tariffs, AUKUS and critical minerals.
In the first episode in the series, report editor and Director of Research Jared Mondschein sat down with CEO Dr Michael Green to give an overview of the publication and a look at Dr Green’s chapter: Alliances: Resilient if shaken.
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Produced by: Elliott Brennan
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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?
To discuss these issues, USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Bruce Wolpe and Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy David Smith joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the USSC Briefing Room Podcast.
Recommended reading:
By the numbers | Prostate cancer and Biden's "Cancer Moonshot"
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Produced by: Elliott Brennan
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In December 2024, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and had military troops surround the National Assembly before reversing that decision following an immediate backlash and widespread protests. On 4 April 2025, South Korea’s Constitutional Court announced its verdict to uphold the impeachment of President Yoon, ending 18 weeks of political uncertainty in Seoul. With President Yoon removed from office, South Korea is gearing up for a snap election.
What are the ramifications of the impeachment verdict? What might this mean for the future of Korea’s engagement in the region? What is at stake in the upcoming Korean presidential election?
To discuss these questions, USSC Research Fellow Tom Corben and Research Associate Kester Abbott joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the USSC Briefing Room Podcast. Tom coordinated a Track 1.5 workshop in Canberra with Korean and Australian representatives and Kester was on the subsequent delegation in Korea when martial law was declared.
Recommended reading:
Australia–Republic of Korea Dialogue on Security Cooperation outcomes report
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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 CEO Dr Michael Green and USSC Lecturer in American Studies Dr Kathryn Robison joined the podcast to give a breakdown of Signalgate, what it tells us about technology and intelligence sharing and what it means for intelligence relationships moving forward.
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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 in government in the United States impact Australia’s approach to defence production?
International Fellow with Silicon Valley Defense Group Bronte Munro and USSC Non-Resident Fellow Sophie Mayo joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the USSC Briefing Room to discuss these questions and Munro’s recent brief: Reviving industry: How the Australian Government can be a better customer to the manufacturing sector.
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Produced by: Elliott Brennan
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