Three years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the second Trump administration has made sweeping changes to US foreign policy priorities and moved to limit US support for Ukraine. In the last six months, the world has seen an explosive Oval Office meeting between President Trump and President Zelenskyy, NATO states pledging to increase their defence spending to as much as 5% of GDP, and continued Russian attacks on Ukraine. With future US support for Ukraine appearing to be uncertain, key questions about Ukraine’s future arise:
To discuss these questions, the USSC hosted a panel discussion featuring USSC Senior Lecturer Dr Gorana Grgić, University of Sydney Senior Lecturer Dr Olga Boichak, and Griffith Asia Institute Associate Professor (Adjunct) Dr Matthew Sussex, moderated by USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein.
The event began with a virtual address by Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia His Excellency Vasyl Myroshnychenko.
The transition to a new US Administration has sharpened Washington’s focus on the Indo-Pacific, while also exposing deep strategic and political tensions shaping the future of American foreign and defence policy.
Competing pressures — between isolationism and interventionism, reassurance and burden-sharing with allies, and fiscal restraint versus demands for force modernisation and advanced capabilities like ‘Golden Dome’ — are creating uncertainty around how the US will deter what Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has called China’s “imminent threat” to Taiwan.
These tensions raise urgent questions: How has (and hasn’t) the US approach to deterrence in the Indo-Pacific changed under the new Administration? Are US forces adequately postured to support US regional interests and alliance commitments? Where are the major fault lines in US regional strategy, and what do they mean for the future of regional security and US influence in the Indo-Pacific?
To unpack these issues, the United States Studies Centre hosted a fireside chat with Kelly Magsamen, former Chief of Staff to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Senior Advisor at The Asia Group. The conversation was moderated by Professor Peter Dean, Director of Foreign Policy and Defence at the United States Studies Centre.
This event is part of the United States Studies Centre's ‘Next Generation Leaders in the Australia-US Alliance’ project which is supported by funding from the US State Department.
For more than five decades following the 1972 rapprochement between the United States and China, the two countries seemed to be steadily building a sound relationship, even accounting for periodic setbacks like the Tiananmen Square massacre.
The last decade, though, has seen a sharp increase in tensions and a complete reorientation of US policies toward China — from “engagement” to “competition.” Australia, too, has changed its approach to its largest trading partner.
What happened? Where is strategic competition heading? And what should US allies like Australia know?
This United States Studies Centre event featured Professor David Shambaugh, a world-renowned China scholar and author of “Breaking the Engagement: How China Won and Lost America”.
The future of the global economic order is in flux. Beijing's coercive economic policies, President Trump’s unprecedented tariffs, and the embrace of industrial policies around the world have cast doubt on the future of international economic rules. Globally, countries like Australia are being forced to contend with a more fragmented economic landscape that is affecting trade and technology flows, supply chains, multilateral institutions, and relations with the major powers.
In this era of unpredictability, critical questions arise:
These questions were discussed by leading expert in diplomacy and economic affairs in East Asia, Ambassador Kurt Tong and USSC CEO, Dr Michael J. Green, at a public event moderated by USSC Director of Economic Security Hayley Channer.
To launch USSC senior lecturer Dr Kathryn Schumaker's new book, Tangled Fortunes: The Hidden History of Interracial Marriage in the Jim Crow South (Basic Books, 2025), Dr Schumaker was joined by scholars Dr Michael Green, Associate Professor Frances Clarke, and Dr Aaron Nyerges to discuss the themes of the book.
Prior to the US Supreme Court’s 1967 ruling in Loving v. Virginia, most American states prohibited interracial marriages at one time or another. But as Dr Schumaker reveals in Tangled Fortunes, such laws did not effectively prevent interracial marriages. Indeed, enforcement of such laws was inconsistent when it came to relationships between white men and Black women. In some Southern communities, such unions were tolerated – though often subject to social disapproval. The book offers a new narrative of the rise and fall of racial segregation from the perspectives of ordinary people whose primary goal was to keep their families together in the face of great difficulty.
Out of sight, out of mind. Low Earth Orbit has undeniably become busier, with upwards of 10,000 satellites and millions of pieces of space debris currently in orbit. With vital services—ranging from communications to climate monitoring, national defence, and financial services—increasingly reliant on space, the proliferation of space assets and debris, and the associated risks of collisions, explosions, and anti-satellite warfare have become a major political issue.
Countries have developed new tools and cultivated norms to improve traffic management and space sustainability. However, amid a proliferation of space stakeholders; the absence of binding international agreements; and challenges in monitoring activities in space, significant gaps remain.
How are public and private actors navigating the challenges of growing congestion in space? How can international frameworks like the Outer Space Treaty be strengthened to address these risks? And how can space sustainability be integrated into the national security policy debate?
To address these questions, the United States Studies Centre was pleased to host a webinar with Audrey M. Schaffer. Ms Schaffer is an internationally recognised expert in space policy, currently serving as Vice President of Strategy and Policy at Slingshot Aerospace and Non-Resident Senior Associate with the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. She previously served in the US government for over 15 years, holding positions in the Executive Office of the President, Department of Defense, Department of State, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Ms Schaffer led the US delegation that negotiated the UN Guidelines for Space Sustainability and, from 2021–23, served as Director for Space Policy on the National Security Council of the Biden-Harris Administration.
This webinar was hosted by Dr Kathryn Robison, Lecturer in American Studies at the United States Studies Centre and Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for Space Governance.
This event was made possible with funding from the US State Department.
As space technologies proliferate and international political competition heats up, space has become a hotly contested strategic and operational domain. The rise of space-related threats, from increased orbital congestion to the proliferation of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons now threatens to upend the international balance of power and drive crisis instability and arms racing between the world’s major powers.
What are the strategic implications of the militarisation of space? How have space threats evolved since the Cold War ‘Space Race’? What measures exist to safeguard critical space infrastructure and to manage space traffic? And how are space-based threats reflected in Australian policy and strategic thinking?
To discuss these issues, the United States Studies Centre hosted a panel featuring the following experts:
The event was moderated by Dr Kathryn Robison, Lecturer in American Studies at the United States Studies Centre and a Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for Space Governance. The panel will be followed by audience Q&A.
This event was made possible with funding from the US State Department.
The United States Studies Centre hosted an exclusive event in partnership with The Sydney Morning Herald.
April 30 marked 100 days of the second Trump administration. While many expected the return of an unconventional administration, the speed and degree of actions thus far have surprised even the most seasoned of analysts.
What do the first 100 days tell us about the next four years? Is this an aberration or the new normal? How should Australia navigate this administration?
The Sydney Morning Herald's foreign affairs and national security correspondent Matthew Knott unpacked the key issues of the second Trump administration with political and international editor Peter Hartcher and world editor Catherine Naylor.
They were joined by USSC experts, Chief Executive Officer Dr Michael Green, who previously served on the National Security Council at the White House from 2001 to 2005, and Director of Research Jared Mondschein.
Export controls and investment screening are taking centre stage in the United States as Washington attempts to protect military and industrial advantages against China while simultaneously exploiting commercial opportunities for its high-tech industries and expanding technological cooperation with allies and partners. Within this complex policy context, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia are seeking greater harmonisation of national export control systems to unlock new defence and technology trade opportunities and deliver on the AUKUS partnership.
These developments raise critical questions for Australian stakeholders. What is the state of play for export controls in the United States, and what can we expect under a second Trump Administration? Will we see alignment on export controls between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia? And what does this all mean for Australia and the AUKUS enterprise?
To address these questions, the United States Studies Centre hosted a webinar with Kevin J. Wolf, Partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and a former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration under the first and second Obama Administrations (2010–17). Mr Wolf has more than 30 years’ experience advising on export controls, sanctions, and international trade, with expertise in US Export Administration Regulations (EAR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).
This conversation was hosted by Tom Corben, Research Fellow in the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the United States Studies Centre. Mr Corben is the co-author of Breaking the barriers: Reforming US export controls to realise the potential of AUKUS and AUKUS enablers? Assessing defence trade control reforms in Australia and the United States.
This event is made possible with funding from the US State Department.
As US-China technology competition intensifies, governments across the world are keeping a tighter grip on the advanced semiconductor chips, AI models, and investments that underpin AI. This is complicated by the fact that the private sector — not government — is at the cutting edge of AI and associated technology innovations. With emerging technology now considered central to national security, both government and the private sector must find new ways to coordinate and collaborate.
What impact will the new Trump administration have on US-China competition? Are the controls around semiconductor chips and AI models a sustainable approach? How can governments coordinate their export controls, investment screening and other regulation efforts? Will we gradually see international alignment on these issues – what are the current barriers?
To unpack these questions, the United States Studies Centre brought together an esteemed panel:
Moderating the discussion was Hayley Channer, the Director of the Economic Security Program with the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. Hayley has a diverse background having worked as an Australian Government official, Ministerial adviser, think tank analyst, and represented global non-profit organisations.
On Monday, 20 January 2025, President-elect Donald Trump was sworn in as 47th President of the United States. He has said he’ll end the war in Ukraine before he takes office and war continues to escalate in the Middle East. Australia itself will host a federal election in 2025 which may shift international relationships.
What sort of impact would Trump’s economic, trade, and technology policies have on Australian businesses? How do the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East impact the Indo-Pacific? What are the key international watch points for Australia in 2025?
To discuss these issues and provide a briefing on geopolitical trends and what they mean for government and business, United States Studies Centre (USSC) CEO Dr Michael Green and Director of Economic Security Hayley Channer hosted a public briefing followed by audience Q&A.
In 2017, the first Donald Trump administration revived the Quad partnership between Australia, India, Japan and the United States after years of inactivity. Now, as the second Trump administration begins to take shape, the Quad continues to enjoy bipartisan support in all four countries and it seems the grouping is here to stay.
The partnership has become a key pillar of diplomatic architecture in our region. But despite this goodwill and strong foundation, the Quad has sometimes struggled to articulate a clear mission, and its future agenda will need to deliver meaningful impact in the Indo-Pacific.
The United States Studies Centre hosted a public panel event following a day of closed-door discussions at the Quad Leadership Track-1.5 Dialogue. Panelists answered key questions facing the Quad on topics such as critical technology, climate and the energy transition, and maritime security, and discussed the future of the Quad partnership itself as a new US presidential administration prepares to take office.
The event featured leading experts on the Quad, including USSC CEO Dr Michael Green, USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Dr Lavina Lee, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Nonresident Scholar, South Asia Program Darshana Baruah and Aoyama-Gakuin University Lecturer Dr Takuya Matsuda in conversation with Matthew Knott, Foreign Affairs and National Security Correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age discussing the Quad's challenges, possible solutions, opportunities for collaboration and the Quad's future agenda.
The Indian Ocean Region brims with economic promise, yet it faces growing challenges — from inadequate infrastructure to fierce geoeconomic competition. As China deepens its presence through the Belt and Road Initiative, Australia and India are poised to offer a resilient and strategic alternative.
This event featured inaugural Maitri Fellow Riya Sinha in conversation with USSC Economic Security Director Hayley Channer, discussing opportunities for India and Australia to collaborate on Indian Ocean port linkages, supply chains and sustainable development.
They discussed practical ways to create a competitive edge that not only advances each country’s interests but also benefits the broader regional landscape.
Riya Sinha's Maitri Fellowship is generously supported by the Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR).
The 2024 presidential race is already emerging as one of the most important elections of our generation, and could shape Australia’s foreign policy for years to come. So what can we expect?
On 24 October 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted an exclusive event in partnership with The Sydney Morning Herald. SMH editor Bevan Shields, political and international editor Peter Hartcher and columnist and senior writer Jacqueline Maley were joined by USSC experts, Chief Executive Officer Dr Michael Green, who previously served on the National Security Council at the White House from 2001 to 2005, and Director of Research Jared Mondschein.
We are increasingly living our lives in cyberspace — from global banking and financial transactions, to managing critical infrastructure and supply chains, to social media. With more government, business and public interactions happening online, coupled with concentrated strategic competition, there are more nefarious state-backed and rogue cyber actors seeking to take advantage of this.
What could cyber and national security policy look like under a first Harris administration or second Trump administration and what could this mean for the region? What implications do the major cyber incidents of the last two years — from the Russia–Ukraine conflict to the Volt Typhoon campaign — have for countries around the world and for Australian businesses? How has US cyber, intelligence and technology policy evolved?
The USSC held an event featuring Admiral (ret) Mike Rogers, a senior US expert on cybersecurity and geopolitics. Admiral Rogers is the former Director of the US National Security Agency and former Commander of US Cyber Command. Admiral Rogers brings deep knowledge and experience, having served both President Obama and President Trump in shaping US cyber, intelligence and technology policy between 2014 and 2018.
Admiral Rogers was joined by John Barron, renowned ABC journalist and co-host of Planet America.
The discussion considered how to tackle some of the most pressing cyber and national security challenges of our time.
This event was run in collaboration with CyberCX.
An eye-opening exploration of the intersection between folk music and political activism, writer and historian Aaron J. Leonard dived into the lives of some of the 20th century’s most influential folk singers—Woody Guthrie, ‘Sis Cunningham, Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, and Burl Ives—and their contentious relationship with the US government. These artists weren’t just cultural icons, but also outspoken political activists, closely monitored by the FBI and targeted for their associations with the US Communist Party.
Through rare video clips, news clippings, and declassified files obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, Leonard uncovered the intense surveillance and suppression these artists faced.
Aaron J. Leonard, author of Heavy Radicals: The Secret War on America’s Maoists and The Folk Singers and the Bureau, brought these stories to life in a compelling presentation. The event concluded with a conversation led by Associate Professor Charles Fairchild (Sydney Conservatorium of Music), giving participants the chance to engage directly with these powerful narratives.
The United States Studies Centre held a discussion hosted by Lecturer in American Studies and political scientist, Dr Kathryn Robison. This webinar featured a panel of leading experts who shared their knowledge and perspectives on critical aspects of the US election for use in the classroom and beyond.
Topics discussed:
The event was attended by high school teachers, educators, and anyone keen to deepen their understanding of the US election process. Attendees received a resource sheet aimed at high school students and teachers.
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence.
The final session featured opening remarks by Jan Adams AO PSM, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, followed by a panel discussion moderator by Professor Peter Dean, Director, Foreign Policy and Defence, United States Studies Centre, with panellists Jan Adams AO PSM, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; =Yasuo Takamura, Cabinet Councillor, National Security Secretariat, Government of Japan
Senator Dave Sharma, Senator for New South Wales; and Dr Elizabeth Economy, Hargrove Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence.
In session 8, opening remarks were provided by Dr Daniel Yergin, Vice-Chairman of S&P Global (by video-link) with further remarks given by Paul Everingham, Chief Executive Officer, Asia Natural Gas & Energy Association. Then followed a panel discussion moderated by Matthew Warren, Principal, Boardroom Energy, and featuring Tania Constable PSM, Chief Executive Officer, Minerals Council of Australia; Meg McDonald, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, United States Studies Centre and Member of the NSW Net Zero Emissions and Clean Economy Board; and Paul Everingham, Chief Executive Officer, Asia Natural Gas & Energy Association.
On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives, and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence.
In session 7, opening remarks were provided by Emily Kilcrease, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics and Security Program, Center for a New American Security. Further remarks were given by Mike Yeh, Regional Vice President, Corporate External and Legal Affairs, Microsoft Asia. Then followed a panel discussion, moderated by Helen Mitchell, Non-Resident Fellow, United States Studies Centre; Professor Kazuto Suzuki, Director, Economic Security, Institute of Geoeconomics at the International House of Japan and Professor of Science and Technology Policy, Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Tokyo; and Emily Kilcrease, Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics and Security Program, Center for a New American Security
Mike Yeh, Regional Vice President, Corporate External and Legal Affairs, Microsoft Asia.
