USSC Briefing Room

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? Where can both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump go from here to secure the 270 electoral college votes they need on 5 November? USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellows Bruce Wolpe and Lester Munson joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck to discuss the state of play in the US presidential election following the debate. Election Watch 2024:·      The Democratic National Convention·      Reflections on the Republican National Convention·      New Cold Wars in a year like no other·      Trump v. Biden redux? Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

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 now?Dr Green shares his inside perspective and reflections on how this has changed the Australia-US alliance.

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 USSC Briefing Room to discuss these issues. Publications by Jennifer Jackett:·      Laying the foundations for AUKUS: Strengthening Australia’s high-tech ecosystem in support of advanced capabilities·      Delivering the Quad’s tech agenda·      Defence review highlights urgency of tech reset Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist David Sanger was one of the few journalists selected to ask President Biden a question in his press conference following the NATO Summit in Washington DC and has reported on Washington during the last seven US presidential administrations. His latest book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West, considers America’s global position in this pivotal time. What might the 2024 election mean for global powers? What is the future of US-China relations? How is conflict playing out differently for US allies in Europe compared to in Asia? What should Australians be watching for in 2024? To explore these questions, USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein sat down with NYT’s David Sanger to dive into the central argument of his latest book, and what the 2024 US presidential election could mean for US allies and partners around the world.David also sat down with USSC CEO Dr Michael Green during his visit for a public event discussing his new book. Watch the full event.Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

This year, India held the largest democratic exercise in the world as 643 million people voted in their election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi won his third election, however, his party, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), could not secure a majority in the Parliament, leading to the formation of a coalition government. The opposition secured enough seats to have a leader of the opposition for the first time in a decade, setting up a more contested framework for Prime Minister Modi to govern. What do these electoral shifts signify about political trends in India? What emerging challenges will Prime Minister Modi face in the term ahead? How will these changes in India impact Australia and other countries in the Indo-Pacific region? To discuss these issues, USSC 2024 Maitri Fellow Riya Sinha joined Director of Research Jared Mondschein on the podcast a few weeks ago. Sinha’s fellowship is supported by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She is also an Associate Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP) in New Dehli. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

Within a week of President Biden announcing he is ending his candidacy for a second term, Vice President Kamala Harris secured scores of endorsements, set fundraising records and secured enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee. How would a Harris administration be different from the Biden administration? Who’s on Harris’ VP short list? Does Harris stand a chance against former president Trump? To discuss these questions, USSC Non-Resident Fellow Victoria Cooper welcomed DC insiders and USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellows Bruce Wolpe and Lester Munson on the podcast. Bruce worked with Democrats in Congress during President Obama’s first term and Lester served in senior positions on the Hill, most recently as Staff Director of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

Former president Donald Trump narrowly avoided death when a bullet grazed his ear at a campaign rally on 13 July. The images of him rising, holding his fist high and chanting “Fight!” while blood streamed down his face instantly became iconic. Donald Trump has been called a ‘strongman’ throughout his political career, how does this assassination attempt shape the mythology around him? What cultural factors contribute to his persona and perception at home and abroad? How could this change in his standing influence perceptions of him for the rest of the election? USSC Non-Resident Fellow Dr Yancey Orr joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck to discuss these questions from a cultural perspective.  Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

Last week, NATO leaders gathered in Washington DC for their annual summit, this year celebrating the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. However, much of Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s final summit was overshadowed by scrutiny of President Biden and then quickly followed by the assassination attempt on former president Trump and the announcement of his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance. What was the main objective for NATO at this summit and was it achieved? Did competing for attention with President Biden and former president Trump hinder those objectives? What does the announcement of Senator JD Vance, one of the most prominent voices against aid for Ukraine mean for the future of NATO under a second Trump administration? To discuss these issues, we welcomed USSC Senior Lecturer in US Politics and Foreign Policy Dr Gorana Grgic back on the podcast for a conversation with USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck. Dr Grgic attended the NATO Summit again this year and offered her perspective on the experience in the room as the eyes of the world were on DC. Recommended reading and listening:USSC Briefing Room | Inside the NATO Vilnius Summit with Dr Gorana Grgic and Mari Koeck‘I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine’: what a JD Vance vice presidency could mean for the world by Ava Kalinauskas and Samuel GarrettRed Book | Blue Book 2024: A guide to the next US administration by variousRedefining NATO’s Indo-Pacific partnerships: cooperative security meets collective defence and deterrence by Dr Gorana GrgicSubscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

The US Supreme Court handed down their ruling in former president Trump’s immunity case and it granted far broader immunity than most experts anticipated.Why was the ruling so expansive? What does this mean for Trump’s criminal trials? How will this change the presidency going forward?To discuss these issues, we welcomed Chas Licciardello from ABC’s Planet America back on the podcast to follow up on his initial discussion with USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck.Read the full Supreme Court ruling.If 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, Spotify and YouTube.Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

President Biden’s approval rating is at an all-time low and the number of “double haters” who want neither candidate is at an all-time high. The US system is driving the selection of candidates further and further away from the mainstream.  Campaign financing contributes to this. How did Trump and Biden become their party’s nominee with so little public support? What systems contribute to the polarisation of politics? Could campaign finance reform lead to candidates with a broader appeal? USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein spoke with Prof. Raymond La Raja, Professor of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts Amhurst, about his research into campaign finance reform. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s debate in Atlanta was always going to be one for the history books. Never before had a general election debate occurred before the party conventions officially named them as their presidential nominees. But following a debate performance that even President Biden conceded was not his best, the most historical aspect of the debate was how many Democrats want to take advantage of the early debate timing and change their nominee altogether.  If Democratic primary votes already occurred, what’s the process for Democrats changing their candidate? Which Democrats will be the most influential in deciding Joe Biden’s future? Beyond Vice President Kamala Harris, who are Democrats to watch as potential successors? USSC Non-Resident Fellow Lester Munson, a DC insider with extensive experience in the legislative and executive branches of government, speaks with Research Director Jared Mondschein on the potential pathways forward for an increasingly uncertain Democratic ticket. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeatSubscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

As American politics has become increasingly polarised, experts and analysts have explored avenues for electoral reform to shift voting to be more representative. One solution is ranked-choice voting (RCV), which is standard in Australia, but only appears in a fraction of jurisdictions in the United States. Why is ranked-choice voting so rare in the United States? What is driving the movement to adopt it in more jurisdictions? How can Australia’s method of voting address “the fundamental issue in American politics” today? USSC Non-Resident Fellow Prof. Benjamin Reilly is a scholar of electoral reform who has worked on reforms in a number of different US states. He spoke with Director of Research Jared Mondschein about the uptick in interest around RCV and the difference it can make in US politics. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

On 17 June 2021, President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making the day a federal public holiday. What did this new holiday celebrate? What role does Juneteenth play in American history? How is it different from Martin Luther King Jr Day? To discuss these questions Senior Lecturer in American Studies at the United States Studies Centre (USSC) Dr Kathryn Schumaker joined Director of Research Jared Mondschein on the podcast. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

The war in Ukraine was a wake-up call for nations around the world as they saw how quickly one crisis could consume the national supply of certain munitions. The Australian Government addressed this in both its 2023 Defence Strategic Review and 2024 National Defence Strategy through the prioritisation of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) and acceleration of the GWEO enterprise. However, these aspirations are a long way from becoming reality and bridging the gap from where we are now to where we want to be is a key focus of the United States Studies Centre (USSC). How depleted are munitions stockpiles after Ukraine? How does GWEO address Australia’s defence needs? What can Australia learn from others about how to stand up this new production capacity? In June, USSC brought Senior Fellow and Director with the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security Dr Stacie Pettyjohn to Australia to speak to our Women in the Alliance Network and she joined us on the podcast to reflect on these questions and the discussions she had while in Australia.  Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

In November, Americans will head to the polls to cast their vote for who will hold the most powerful office in the world – Joe Biden or Donald Trump. But it isn’t only Americans who are impacted. What would a Trump administration vs Biden administration 2.0 mean for allies and partners around the world? What will stay the same regardless of who wins? And, importantly, what can countries do now to prepare for the next four years? Last week, the USSC released its election-year Red Book | Blue Book: A guide to the next US administration report to answer these questions and more across everything from AUKUS to climate change. Between now and the election, we’re going to bring you episodes that take a look at different chapters in the report and give you the Red Book | Blue Book breakdown on that topic. To kick things off, we welcomed USSC CEO Dr Michael Green back on the podcast to talk about his chapter: What the 2024 election means for America’s Asian alliances. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube. Produced by: Elliott BrennanMusic by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat