On Monday, 20 January 2025, President-elect Donald Trump was sworn in as 47th President of the United States. He has said he’ll end the war in Ukraine before he takes office and war continues to escalate in the Middle East. Australia itself will host a federal election in 2025 which may shift international relationships.

What sort of impact would Trump’s economic, trade, and technology policies have on Australian businesses? How do the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East impact the Indo-Pacific? What are the key international watch points for Australia in 2025?

To discuss these issues and provide a briefing on geopolitical trends and what they mean for government and business, United States Studies Centre (USSC) CEO Dr Michael Green and Director of Economic Security Hayley Channer hosted a public briefing followed by audience Q&A.

In 2017, the first Donald Trump administration revived the Quad partnership between Australia, India, Japan and the United States after years of inactivity. Now, as the second Trump administration begins to take shape, the Quad continues to enjoy bipartisan support in all four countries and it seems the grouping is here to stay.

The partnership has become a key pillar of diplomatic architecture in our region. But despite this goodwill and strong foundation, the Quad has sometimes struggled to articulate a clear mission, and its future agenda will need to deliver meaningful impact in the Indo-Pacific.

The United States Studies Centre hosted a public panel event following a day of closed-door discussions at the Quad Leadership Track-1.5 Dialogue. Panelists answered key questions facing the Quad on topics such as critical technology, climate and the energy transition, and maritime security, and discussed the future of the Quad partnership itself as a new US presidential administration prepares to take office.

The event featured leading experts on the Quad, including USSC CEO Dr Michael Green, USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Dr Lavina Lee, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Nonresident Scholar, South Asia Program Darshana Baruah and Aoyama-Gakuin University Lecturer Dr Takuya Matsuda in conversation with Matthew Knott, Foreign Affairs and National Security Correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age discussing the Quad's challenges, possible solutions, opportunities for collaboration and the Quad's future agenda.

The Indian Ocean Region brims with economic promise, yet it faces growing challenges — from inadequate infrastructure to fierce geoeconomic competition. As China deepens its presence through the Belt and Road Initiative, Australia and India are poised to offer a resilient and strategic alternative.

This event featured inaugural Maitri Fellow Riya Sinha in conversation with USSC Economic Security Director Hayley Channer, discussing opportunities for India and Australia to collaborate on Indian Ocean port linkages, supply chains and sustainable development.

They discussed practical ways to create a competitive edge that not only advances each country’s interests but also benefits the broader regional landscape.

Riya Sinha's Maitri Fellowship is generously supported by the Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR).

The 2024 presidential race is already emerging as one of the most important elections of our generation, and could shape Australia’s foreign policy for years to come. So what can we expect?

On 24 October 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted an exclusive event in partnership with The Sydney Morning Herald. SMH editor Bevan Shields, political and international editor Peter Hartcher and columnist and senior writer Jacqueline Maley were joined by USSC experts, Chief Executive Officer Dr Michael Green, who previously served on the National Security Council at the White House from 2001 to 2005, and Director of Research Jared Mondschein.

We are increasingly living our lives in cyberspace — from global banking and financial transactions, to managing critical infrastructure and supply chains, to social media. With more government, business and public interactions happening online, coupled with concentrated strategic competition, there are more nefarious state-backed and rogue cyber actors seeking to take advantage of this.

What could cyber and national security policy look like under a first Harris administration or second Trump administration and what could this mean for the region? What implications do the major cyber incidents of the last two years — from the Russia–Ukraine conflict to the Volt Typhoon campaign — have for countries around the world and for Australian businesses? How has US cyber, intelligence and technology policy evolved?

The USSC held an event featuring Admiral (ret) Mike Rogers, a senior US expert on cybersecurity and geopolitics. Admiral Rogers is the former Director of the US National Security Agency and former Commander of US Cyber Command. Admiral Rogers brings deep knowledge and experience, having served both President Obama and President Trump in shaping US cyber, intelligence and technology policy between 2014 and 2018.

Admiral Rogers was joined by John Barron, renowned ABC journalist and co-host of Planet America.

The discussion considered how to tackle some of the most pressing cyber and national security challenges of our time.

This event was run in collaboration with CyberCX.

An eye-opening exploration of the intersection between folk music and political activism, writer and historian Aaron J. Leonard dived into the lives of some of the 20th century’s most influential folk singers—Woody Guthrie, ‘Sis Cunningham, Pete Seeger, Lee Hays, and Burl Ives—and their contentious relationship with the US government. These artists weren’t just cultural icons, but also outspoken political activists, closely monitored by the FBI and targeted for their associations with the US Communist Party.

Through rare video clips, news clippings, and declassified files obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, Leonard uncovered the intense surveillance and suppression these artists faced.

Aaron J. Leonard, author of Heavy Radicals: The Secret War on America’s Maoists and The Folk Singers and the Bureau, brought these stories to life in a compelling presentation. The event concluded with a conversation led by Associate Professor Charles Fairchild (Sydney Conservatorium of Music), giving participants the chance to engage directly with these powerful narratives.

The United States Studies Centre held a discussion hosted by Lecturer in American Studies and political scientist, Dr Kathryn Robison. This webinar featured a panel of leading experts who shared their knowledge and perspectives on critical aspects of the US election for use in the classroom and beyond.

Topics discussed:

• How the Electoral College works
  Featuring: Dr Kathryn Robison and Professor Brendon O’Connor
  The intricacies of the Electoral College and its crucial role in American elections.
• The Impact of the US Election in Australia and the Indo-Pacific
  Featuring: Dr Kathryn Robison and USSC CEO, Dr Michael Green
  How the 2024 US Election will shape political dynamics in Australia and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
• Public opinion and polling
  Featuring: Dr Kathryn Robison and Associate Professor David Smith
  The essential role of public opinion and polling in influencing electoral strategies.

The event was attended by high school teachers, educators, and anyone keen to deepen their understanding of the US election process. Attendees received a resource sheet aimed at high school students and teachers.

On 19 and 20 June 2024, the United States Studies Centre hosted a major international conference in Sydney spotlighting the search for “economic security in a turbulent world”. Over a day and a half, the conference brought together leading policymakers, business executives and independent experts from around the world to discuss arguably the defining economic policy debate of our age – how to reconcile security and prosperity in an era of strategic competition and economic interdependence.

The final session featured opening remarks by Jan Adams AO PSM, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, followed by a panel discussion moderator by Professor Peter Dean, Director, Foreign Policy and Defence, United States Studies Centre, with panellists Jan Adams AO PSM, Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; =Yasuo Takamura, Cabinet Councillor, National Security Secretariat, Government of Japan
Senator Dave Sharma, Senator for New South Wales; and Dr Elizabeth Economy, Hargrove Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University.