USSC Briefing Room – Details, episodes & analysis

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 production?

International Fellow with Silicon Valley Defense Group Bronte Munro and USSC Non-Resident Fellow Sophie Mayo joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the USSC Briefing Room to discuss these questions and Munro’s recent brief: Reviving industry: How the Australian Government can be a better customer to the manufacturing sector.

Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

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 within the powers of the Executive branch? What impacts could this have globally?

USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Lester Munson joins Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the podcast to discuss these questions. Munson formerly served as Deputy Assistant Administrator of USAID.

You may also like Leter Munson’s recent write-up The new game in aid: Deal power.

Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

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 developments drive far greater demand on the grid? Does competition with China help or hurt US innovation? How should the next administration approach these emerging challenges?

Back in September, Erik Jacobs joined USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein on the USSC Briefing Room podcast to discuss these issues.

This podcast is part of the United States Studies Centre's "Next Generation Leaders in the Australia-US Alliance initiative," which is supported by funding from the US State Department.

Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

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 inauguration?

USSC Non-Resident Fellow Helen Zhang joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck to discuss these issues.

Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

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 into AUKUS, what do Australians think about the trilateral partnership? How do views of Taiwan differ between the three countries?

USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein and Research Associate Samuel Garrett joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck to discuss the results of the Allies and partners poll 2024.

Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Produced by: Elliott Brennan
Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

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 transition? What can allies and partners do to work together on these issues?

Jane Nakano, Senior Fellow in the Energy Security and Climate Change Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) joined USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the podcast to discuss these questions.

You may also be interested in:

Event replay | Climate transition heating up: The race for the clean energy transition in the Indo-Pacific with Jane Nakano, Australian Ambassador for Climate Change Kristin Tilley, USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Meg McDonald and USSC Director of Economic Security here.

Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

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 Brennan

Music 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 Brennan

Music 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 Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat