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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

33:52

Understanding the MAGA rift

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/12/22

Recently we have seen cracks forming within the MAGA (Make America Great Again) movement. We are seeing Republican members of Congress push back on issues, like the Epstein files or President Trump’s approach to Ukraine, in the most significant way since he took office in January. What is causing these rifts within the MAGA movement? Is MAGA whatever President Trump says it is? How are these tensions likely to play out? Non-Resident Senior Fellow Lester Munson joined Director of Engagement

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35:52

How do the Quad countries view Trump’s second term?

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/12/10

The United States Studies Centre (USSC) has just released our annual Allies and partners poll. The USSC polled publics in Australia, the United States, Japan and, for the first time this year, India. This means there was polling data to compare public opinion across all four Quad countries.Where do the Quad countries stand on Trump, security and the future of the Indo-Pacific? What are the biggest similarities and differences between the Quad countries on foreign policy? How has Trump 2.0

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80:37

Supreme Court tests Trump’s tariffs – with Chas...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/11/25

On 2 April 2025, President Trump announced sweeping tariffs on most countries around the globe as part of “Liberation Day” but is the president allowed to impose tariffs like that? This is the question the US Supreme Court is considering at the moment.What were the arguments for and against the presidential power to unilaterally tariff? How are the justices likely to decide? How could their decision impact one of the president’s signature policies?To consider these questions, we invited

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47:28

USSC Briefing Room | How US allies can influence US...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/11/14

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

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41:36

From Kirk to Grand Blanc: Is there a throughline in...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/10/20

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

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27:52

Why Trump wants to make US shipbuilding great again

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/10/08

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

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32:45

The prognosis for the Quad and other US alliances in...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/09/25

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

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42:52

The role of panda diplomacy in international relations

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/09/04

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

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46:37

Trump 2.0: Energy and climate change

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/08/25

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,

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37:17

A legal look at Epstein

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/08/18

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

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28:42

America’s AI Action Plan unpacked

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/08/06

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

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33:57

What is (and isn’t) in the One Big Beautiful Bill?

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/07/29

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

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35:12

How could Trump’s film tariffs impact Australia?

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/07/24

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

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28:03

What Japan can teach the world about economic security

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/07/14

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

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34:41

AUKUS review, “Golden Dome” and defence spending:...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/07/08

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

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31:46

Unpacking Trump 2.0: Tariffs

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/06/30

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.Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic

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37:15

A NATO Summit amidst global turmoil

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/06/24

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

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29:42

Unpacking Trump 2.0: Critical minerals

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/06/17

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

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39:56

Unpacking Trump 2.0: Alliances

USSC Briefing Room ·

2025/06/02

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

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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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