USSC Briefing Room

Economic security is on the minds of leaders everywhere. From trade barriers to industrial policy to crackdowns on foreign investments, growing strategic competition is shaping the global economy. What is economic security? What are the trade-offs involved? And how can Australia adapt to this changing world? Director of Economic Security Hayley Channer is joined by USSC Non-Resident Fellow Helen Mitchell to discuss Helen's new report: Unlocking economic security: a strategic playbook for Australia. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

In January, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that there is no presidential immunity that would shield former president Trump from prosecution in the case against him regarding his actions to overturn the results of the 2020 election. But the US Supreme Court said they would take up the question, hearing the oral arguments on their last day of this judicial term.Why did the Supreme Court step in after the DC Circuit Court of Appeals had made a unanimous ruling? What is at stake for former president Trump? What are the long-term ramifications beyond President Trump?To discuss these issues, Chas Licciardello, co-host of ABC’s Planet America who also holds a law degree, joined us shortly after the oral arguments to discuss the issues at play and what this means not just for former president Trump’s cases, but all future presidents.Featured clip:Justice Alito questions Michael Dreeben. First posted by @TheRecount.Recommended reading, listening and watching:Planet America Fireside Chat (Friday 26/4/2024) ft. John Barron and Chas Licciardello where they talk about key takeaways from Trump’s immunity caseWas Trump benefitting from being out of the news? By Nate CohnNYT/Siena poll referred to in the By the Numbers statsTrump’s immunity argument before the US Supreme Court ft. Bruce WolpeTrump trial hears of ‘catch and kill’ tabloid scheme ft. Associate Prof. David SmithIf you can’t get enough of US politics, in addition to Planet America, check out Chas’ 'Planet Extra Podcast with Chas and Dr Dave', featuring Chas in conversation with USSC Associate Prof. David Smith each week: YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, Google and Stitcher.Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

In honour of International Jazz Day, we’re releasing a special episode of the USSC Briefing Room with the Founder and Director of The Jazz and Democracy Project® (J&D) Dr Wesley Watkins. His program integrates jazz into the study of US history, government, civics and culture, specifically, but also into the humanities more broadly, making J&D a captivating way for students to engage democratic and egalitarian ideals through a range of themes and subject areas. It has been widely popular both across the US and around the world. You may have heard Wes interviewed on ABC radio or mentioned on NPR.What can jazz help us understand about democracy that other musical examples cannot? How do current politics relate to this metaphor? What traits of a good jazz musician should we also look for in a president?Featured songs:“City Sunrise” by Ninety Miles, Live at Cubadisco (Concord Music Group, 2012) Stefon Harris (vibraphone solo), Christian Scott (trumpet), David Sánchez (tenor sax), Harold López-Nussa (piano), Yandy Martinez González (bass), Ruy Adrián López-Nussa (drums) and Edgar Martínez Ochoa DeZabalegui (djembe). Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm-5n30qqtY"Blue Train" (J. Coltrane) from the Conrad Herwig album, The Latin Side of John Coltrane (Astor Place, 1996). The trading features Brian Lynch (trumpet) & Conrad Herwig (trombone), backed by Eddie Palmieri (piano), John Benitez (bass), Adam Cruz (drums), Jose Clausell (timbales) and Milton Cardona (congas) with Mike Ponella & Ray Vega on backing trumpets, plus Ronnie Cuber on baritone sax. Learn more about The Jazz and Democracy Project® here:https://www.jazzdemocracy.com/https://www.jazzdemocracy.com.au/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=327CfZ_ogRo Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

When a delegation from the United States Studies Centre (USSC) travelled to Washington DC in 2023, AUKUS came up in every conversation and Australia eagerly awaited a visit from President Biden to Australia that didn’t eventuate. Now we are discussing potentially expanding AUKUS to include Japan and significant legislative reforms are making US-Australia defence collaboration stronger than ever.How much has changed in Washington from a year ago? Is the potential for JAUKUS making waves in DC like it is in Australia? How much daylight is there between the US and Australian foreign policy communities on these issues at this time?USSC Research Fellow Tom Corben and Research Associate Sophie Mayo discussed these questions with Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck following their visit to Washington DC last month.Check out the readout from the 2023 USSC delegation to Washington here: What do Washington and Canberra think of each other?Recommended reading and listening:Patience, please. AUKUS Pillar 2 is indeed making progress by Tom Corben and Sophie MayoFoundations for AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines: Perspectives from AUKUS partners by Prof. Peter Dean, Alice Nason, Dr Philip Shetler-Jones and Dr Charles EdelThe university sector’s value proposition for AUKUS: Times Higher Education Summit outcomes report by Prof. Peter Dean, Sophie Mayo and Alex FavierUSSC Briefing Room | AUKUS: One year since the 'optimal pathway' with Prof. Peter Dean, Alice Nason and Mari KoeckAre Biden and Congress playing chicken with AUKUS? By Tom Corben and Alice NasonSubscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

The rules-based order is under stress in the Indo-Pacific and, according to the latest report from Freedom House, democracy has declined for an 18th consecutive year globally. Both Japan and Australia have strong commitments to development assistance in the region, but a new report from the United States Studies Centre (USSC) argues that this is not enough to counter elite capture, misinformation and other malign influences in the region.What are the stakes for democracy promotion in the Indo-Pacific? How much daylight is there between the Japanese and Australian approaches to development assistance and democracy promotion? Where can the countries go from here?USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Dr Lavina Lee spoke with Research Director Jared Mondschein about these questions and the new report she edited.Aligning values and interests: Japanese and Australian democracy support in the Pacific and Southeast Asiawas edited by Dr Lavina Lee and features Chikako Kodama, Hitsubashi University Graduate School of Law PhD candidate; Dr John Lee, Hudson Institute Senior Fellow; Dr Yuki Miyoda, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Frontier Sciences project researcher; and Prof. Hiroaki Shiga, Yokohama National University professor at the Graduate School of International Social Sciences. It is now available for download.Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

With the two oldest presidential presumptive nominees in US history, the stakes for the vice presidential selection have never been higher. In 2016 Mike Pence helped deliver the evangelical vote for Trump, but he seems to be going a different direction in 2024. All eyes are on who he will ultimately choose.Will Trump look for a VP to help win swing states? Do any of his former presidential competitors stand a chance? How will Trump’s VP pick change the election?USSC Director of Research and the Politics, Society and Culture Program Jared Mondschein sat down with research associates Samuel Garrett and Ava Kalinauskas to discuss their recently launched tracker: Trump’s VP shortlist: What Australians should know.Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

One year ago, Anthony Albanese, Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden gathered at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego to share the ‘optimal pathway’ for Australia to acquire the nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement. This critical step laid out the timeline, the type of submarines that would be acquired and the price tag of $268-$368b for AUKUS Pillar I.But we wanted to check in, one year after the optimal pathway was announced. How are we progressing? Was the pathway realistic? And what are the barriers would be most likely to derail this plan?United States Studies Centre (USSC) Director of Foreign Policy and Defence Prof. Peter Dean and Research Associate Alice Nason joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck to discuss.Read more:AUKUS inflection point: Building the ecosystem for workforce development by Peter Dean, Alice Nason, Sophie Mayo and Samuel GarrettAUKUS has become a case study in generational politics by Peter Dean and Alice NasonAre Biden and Congress playing chicken with AUKUS? by Tom Corben and Alice NasonThe university sector’s value proposition for AUKUS: Times Higher Education Summit outcomes report by Peter Dean, Sophie Mayo and Alex FavierThe social licence for AUKUS has not yet been earned by Sophie Mayo, Peter Lee and Alice Nason Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott Brennan

This is the third in a series of three episodes this week recorded following USSC’s Indo-Pacific Strategy Simulation in November 2023. In these recordings, leading regional experts sit down with our own resident scholars to discuss Indo-Pacific security issues, trilateral cooperation between Australia, Japan and the United States, and the finer points of designing and playing a strategic simulation. This episode features Prof. Peter Dean, Director of the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the USSC in conversation with Jacqueline Borsboom, Managing Director for Australia at the Asia Group. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott Brennan

This is the second in a series of three episodes this week recorded following USSC’s Indo-Pacific Strategy Simulation in November 2023. In these recordings, leading regional experts sit down with our own resident scholars to discuss Indo-Pacific security issues, trilateral cooperation between Australia, Japan and the United States, and the finer points of designing and playing a strategic simulation. This episode features Prof. Peter Dean, Director of the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the USSC in conversation with Zack Cooper, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington DC. You can also hear from Zack Cooper and Peter Dean in the recording from the Sydney International Strategy Forum panel discussion on AUKUS, the Quad and the future of alliances and partnerships here. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott Brennan

This week on the podcast, we’re bringing you the first three episodes in a series recorded following USSC’s Indo-Pacific Strategy Simulation in November 2023. In these recordings, leading regional experts sit down with our own resident scholars to discuss Indo-Pacific security issues, trilateral cooperation between Australia, Japan and the United States, and the finer points of designing and playing a strategic simulation. This episode features Dr Michael Green, CEO of the USSC, in conversation with Nobukatsu Kanehara, Executive Director of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation in Tokyo, Japan. You can also hear from Nobukatsu Kanehara in the recording from the Sydney International Strategy Forum panel discussion on AUKUS, the Quad and the future of alliances and partnerships here. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott Brennan

After a year of travel, conferences and meetings in the four Quad countries — Australia, India, Japan and the United States — four think tank experts from across the Indo-Pacific enter the USSC Briefing Room to discuss Quad cooperation. What is the Quad trying to achieve? What is and isn’t working well and how can the four countries more closely and effectively cooperate on their shared vision for the region?In this ‘QuadPod’, Lucas Meyers, from the Wilson Center in the United States, Dr Gaurav Saini from the Council for Strategic and Defense Research in India, Dr Shu Uchida from Waseda University in Japan, and the USSC’s own Victoria Cooper share their views on the big questions.Read more:The Quad topic on ussc.edu.auWhat is the Quad? by Blake Berger, Victoria Cooper, Lucas Myers, Shu Uchida, and Gaurav SainiBolstering the Quad: The case for a collective approach to maritime security by Tom Corben, Ashley Townshend, Blake Herzinger, Darshana M Baruah, and Dr Tomohiko SatakeThe Quad is edging closer to collective maritime defence by Tom CorbenSubscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Last week, the special counsel Robert Hur released his report with findings of his investigation into President Biden’s handling of classified documents after he left the office of vice president. While a legal vindication in that he will not be charged, it has poured petrol on the fire that is discussion on Biden’s age and whether he’s up for a second term. We dove into this topic with Washington insider, United States Studies Centre Non-Resident Senior Fellow Bruce Wolpe.How much of a risk is this to Biden’s campaign? Who is winning the messaging war between Republicans and Democrats? And, ultimately, what would actually have to happen in order for President Biden to step aside?Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Last month, world leaders gathered in Dubai for the UN Climate Change Conference – COP 28. The loss and damage agreement supporting nations impacted by climate change made headlines, but the walk back of language around fossil fuels was viewed by many as a step backwards.Was COP28 a net positive or negative? How relevant is COP anymore? Where should global efforts focus to mitigate climate change?United States Studies Centre (USSC) Non-Resident Fellow Lachlan Carey, Manager at RMI sat down with USSC Research Director Jared Mondschein to discuss COP28 and next steps for climate action in 2024.Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott Brennan

The first contest of the 2024 US presidential election kicked off in Iowa this week. Dedicated Republicans turned out and voiced support for Donald Trump, delivering him the majority of votes with a 30-point margin over his competition. Ron DeSantis barely beat out Nikki Hayley for the number two spot, but Hayley was the only candidate to win a precinct other than Trump.Going into the next primaries, does anyone stand a chance against Trump? What would be the pathway to victory for a Trump challenger? Who is a likely choice for vice president?United States Studies Centre Non-Resident Senior Fellow Lester Munson joined Research Director Jared Mondschein to break down what happened in Iowa and what this means for Trump’s candidacy.Read more:Trump wins big in Iowa, now what? By Lester MunsonA guide to the 2024 presidential election: from primaries to president by Ava Kalinauskas and Samuel GarrettUSSC Insights | Reactions to IowaWhere the ‘other’ 2024 Republican candidates stand on Australia and the world by Ava Kalinauskas and Samuel Garrett Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Looking for something to read? In our ‘Book Talk’ series, our experts discuss their book projects and why you should read them. In this episode, Associate Professor David Smith talks through his research on religious persecution in the United States, the role of religion in politics, and ideas of political order, social cohesion and American identity.   Why does a country that sees religious freedom as central to its founding have such a painful history with religious persecution? How does the US experience compare with what we’ve seen in Australia? Where is the United States today on the spectrum of religious persecution and protection?  Associate Professor Smith’s 2015 book Religious Persecution and Political Order in the United States was published by Cambridge University Press.  Produced by Elliott Brennan 

Are you wondering what to read over the holiday period? In our ‘Book Talk’ series, our experts discuss their latest book projects and why you should read them. In this episode, USSC CEO Dr Michael J. Green sheds light on the evolution of Japan’s grand strategy. How is Abe’s strategic approach to the Indo-Pacific reflected in Japan, Australia and the United States today? What lessons can be learned from Abe’s approach to China and the Trump administration? Why is the relationship between Australia and Japan deepening? How might strategic competition end?  Dr Green’s 2022 book, Line of Advantage: Japan’s Grand Strategy in the Era of Abe Shinzō, draws from Mike’s long-standing connection with the former Prime Minister and provides a unique political and historical context of Japan’s security policy and the role of US alliances in the Indo Pacific.  Read more: Dr Michael J Green, Line of Advantage: Japan’s Grand Strategy in the Era of Abe Shinzō, (Columbia University Press, 2022) USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein and Research Editor Victoria Cooper, One year from the 2024 US presidential election: The stakes for Australia and the alliance (United States Studies Centre, 2023) Produced by Elliott Brennan

Taiwan does not have formal diplomatic relations with Australia and the United States, but they do have diplomatic representatives in both countries and formal or informal ties all over the world. Taiwan’s representative to Australia Douglas Hsu sat down with Research Director Jared Mondschein to discuss the state of play in Taiwan on the precipice of their upcoming presidential election.What challenges does not having formal diplomatic ties to Australia and the United states bring? Is Taiwan being used as a pawn in strategic competition with China? How concerned is Taiwan about whether the United States or Australia would come to its defence if China decides to invade it?Douglas Hsu is Taiwan’s Representative to Australia. He was previously Director General of North American Affairs within Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and served in the Political and Congressional Liaison divisions of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States.You may also want to watch our event replay Taiwan's upcoming election: The implications for Australia featuring Douglas Hsu, Richard McGregor, Dr Lavina Lee and Dr Michael Green. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Since the US withdrawal from TPP in 2017, Australia has remained keen to see the United States re-engage Asia on trade. The Biden administration launched the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in May of 2022 to balance economic engagement in the region with a “foreign policy for the middle class” approach that prioritised increasing labor and environmental standards. Some early harvest provisions were announced at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Summit last month, but in balancing trade with labour policy, questions remain over their value for IPEF member countries.How is the Biden administration’s economic strategy in Asia different than prior administrations? How should Australia and other US allies understand US opinion on trade strategy? Did the early harvest provisions announced at APEC earn a passing grade or is it too little, too late?United States Studies Centre (USSC) Economic Security Director Hayley Channer and Research Associate Samuel Garrett discuss their assessment of IPEF post APEC with Research Director Jared Mondschein.Read more:An economic pillar to round out US strategy in Asia: IPEF and Australia's interests by Hayley Channer, Victoria Cooper and Jared MondscheinWhat options are on the table for IPEF? by Samuel GarrettUSSC Insights | IPEF supply chain agreement by Georgia Edmonstone Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

This is the final episode in a series of four panel discussions recorded from the United States Studies Centre’s inaugural Sydney International Strategy Forum. This episode is the “AUKUS, the Quad and the future of alliances and partnerships” panel featuring:Prof. Peter Dean – Director of Foreign Policy and Defence, United States Studies CentreZack Cooper – Senior Fellow, American Enterprise InstituteRep. Akihisa Nagashima – a member of the Japanese House of RepresentativesDr Gorana Grgic – Senior Lecturer in US Politics and Foreign Policy, United States Studies CentreDr Michael Green – CEO, United States Studies CentreA video recording of this episode is available on the USSC YouTube channel here. The playlist of all recordings from the Sydney International Strategy Forum is available here. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott Brennan

This is the third in a series of four panel discussions recorded from the United States Studies Centre’s inaugural Sydney International Strategy Forum. This episode is the “Navigating de-risking, disruption and emerging technology” panel featuring:Michaela Browning, Vice President Government and Public Policy for Asia Pacific – Google  Dr John Kunkel, Senior Economic Adviser – United States Studies Centre  Hayley Channer, Director Economic Security – United States Studies Centre  Moderator: Jared Mondschein, Director of Research – United States Studies Centre  A video recording of this episode is available on the USSC YouTube channel here. The playlist of all recordings from the Sydney International Strategy Forum is available here. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Produced by: Elliott Brennan