Hello there, You might notice we've given our newsletter a fresh lick of paint. The 47th—or The 46th (or The 45th for our long-term subscribers) as you may have known it—is moving into a new era. Welcome to the USSC Insider, your trusted source for key developments in Washington and how they relate to the world. You will hear directly from our experts each week to give you an insider's perspective on the latest policies, debates, and decisions you need to know about. If
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In the latest diplomatic whirlwind from the new Trump administration, President Trump signed executive orders imposing a 25% tariff on goods imported from Canada and Mexico before issuing a one-month pause on the tariff plan. The pause came hours before the midnight deadline when the tariffs were set to commence and followed separate agreements with Trump and his Canadian and Mexican counterparts. In statements to the press, President Trump emphasised their new commitment to send 10,000 troops to the border to “stop the flow of fentanyl and illegal migrants.” However, the 10% tariff on goods imported from China is now in place and China has already retaliated with 15% tariffs on US coal and LNG. Countries around the
world are taking notice. In the first Trump administration, Australia was one of few countries able to avoid tariffs. The reason? Experts point to the United States’ trade surplus with Australia, their fourth largest surplus globally. As Australia and the United States celebrate the 20th anniversary of their free trade agreement (AUSFTA) this year, the trade relationship between
the two countries will be in the spotlight.
Mari Koeck
Director, Engagement and Impact
REPORTNew South Wales and AUKUS: Role and opportunities for the ‘premier state’This
report highlights the key insights and recommendations arising from a Track 1.5 workshop hosted by the USSC and McKell Institute at NSW Parliament House to discuss and progress the participation of New South Wales in the AUKUS Pillar 1 nuclear-powered submarine enterprise.
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REPORTAustralia’s economic security outlook: Expert perspectives on challenges facing Australia in 2025In late 2024, the United States Studies Centre’s Economic Security program convened a group of analysts, academics, and private-sector representatives to assess Australia’s response to economic security challenges. This report provides a snapshot of views on Australia’s economic security going into 2025.
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PODCASTUSSC Briefing Room | Trump's foreign policy agenda, like it or notUSSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck sat down with former Trump administration official Heino Klinck to discuss the foreign policy issues facing President Trump as he begins his second term.
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PODCASTThe Asia Chessboard | How long will deterrence hold?Dr Michael Green hosts Michèle Flournoy, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of WestExec Advisors to discuss the state of play of deterrence and what to expect going forward.
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The statistic Australia will use to avoid Trump’s tariffs Dr John Kunkel discusses Australia's trade surplus with the United States with the Australian Financial Review. He explains why this strong position is unlikely to change.
Dr John Kunkel
Senior Economics Adviser
Bruce Wolpe on Trump's tariff plans Bruce Wolpe was interviewed on ABC's Afternoon Briefing about the status of the tariff fight between the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Bruce Wolpe
Senior Non-Resident Fellow
US trade balances 2013-2022
Australia, Canada and Mexico
Australia consistently ranks in the top five countries with trade surpluses with the United States, usually landing in the third or fourth spot. This makes it unique compared to other trading partners. While the possibility for tariffs exist, as was threatened in 2017, Australia’s status as a strong trading partner means there is less incentive to threaten that relationship than there is with China, Canada and Mexico, who have some of the largest deficits with the United States. It is unlikely Australia will export more to the United States in the short term. As USSC Senior Economic Adviser Dr John Kunkel told the Australian Financial Review, “In terms of US imports, the bulk of that is now in a whole range of manufactured areas where we don’t have relative
advantages, either at a high-tech or a relatively low-tech level. We’re not a major manufacturer.” While Australia is on better footing than most countries when it comes to trade and the United States, the economic tools are driving many of the geopolitical trends in Trump’s first 100 days. To read more about the role of economic trends in the year ahead, check out Australia’s economic security outlook: Expert perspectives on challenges facing Australia in 2025.
Geopolitical trends to watch in 2025
From the impact of President Trump's trade policies on Australian businesses to the ties between global tensions and the Indo-Pacific, Dr Michael Green and Hayley Channer discussed geopolitical trends to watch in 2025 for a standing room only crowd on campus. Dr Michael Green and Hayley Channer are also leaders of the University of Sydney | Sydney Executive Plus+ Geopolitics and business sprint. Registrations now open for the 20 March – 03 April 2025 cohort. Download a sprint outline here.
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