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PODCAST

USSC Briefing Room

United States Studies Centre

The USSC Briefing Room is a podcast from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. It gives you a seat at the table for a briefing on the latest US news and foreign policy. Co-hosts Mari Koeck, Jared Mondschein and Victoria Cooper talk to experts to cover what you need to know and what"s beneath the surface of the news.

news news commentary

All Episodes

38:29

Biden’s legacy and Democratic scrutiny

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/05/23

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

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39:22

What Korean President Yoon’s impeachment means for...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/04/29

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

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38:50

What Signalgate revealed about technology and...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/04/14

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

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37:00

The uphill battle for Australian defence innovation

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/03/25

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

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31:17

Former USAID official on the DOGE cuts and pathway...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/03/18

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.What is USAID and why was it a target for major cuts by Trump? Are these changes permissible

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23:46

The lasting impacts of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/03/04

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 her book with Mari Koeck, USSC Director of Engagement and Impact. Dr Karlin is a Professor of

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42:46

Three years of war in Ukraine

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/02/23

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 sanctions. The war has lingered on and is the deadliest conflict in Europe since the Second World

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34:36

What Trump’s second term means for Australia,...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/02/10

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 election, What Trump’s Second Term Means for Australia. What changes will we see in the United

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23:49

Trump’s foreign policy agenda, like it or not

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/01/23

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 allies and partners do to work with this new administration on foreign policy priorities? Heino

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33:12

The power of Australia-India port development

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/01/06

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 infrastructure projects.What are the risks if China has a monopoly on port improvements in the Indian

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38:17

The significance of the AUKUS tech transfer

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/12/17

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 a strong foundation of trust between the two countries, but a regulatory and industrial

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40:23

What the new Congress means for the Indo-Pacific

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/12/03

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 the Indo-Pacific priorities for the next Congress? Where might Congress diverge from the White

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40:36

DC insiders on Trump’s victory and next steps

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/11/18

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

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19:33

Former Trump admin official on technology, energy and...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/11/03

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

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38:26

AI, disinformation and the US presidential election

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/10/22

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

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34:13

What Australians think about the US alliance

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/10/09

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

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25:27

Energy security and the US-Australia alliance

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/10/02

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

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43:11

State of the race: US presidential election check-in

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/09/24

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

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41:41

USSC Briefing Room | Inside the White House on 9/11...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/09/11

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

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45:45

Tech and the alliance

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/09/03

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 the

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