NEWS WRAP

Biden tells Quad: China is 'testing us all'

• Biden caught off record | President Joe Biden was caught criticising China in a hot mic moment at the Quad Summit in Delaware, telling Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the leaders of Japan and India that: “China continues to behave aggressively, testing us all across the region.” The group has taken pains to avoid being seen as aligned against Beijing. READ MORE HERE
   

• Wong pushes for aid worker protection | Foreign Minister Penny Wong used a speech at the United Nations in New York to call for greater protection for humanitarian workers in conflict zones. She noted that Gaza is the deadliest place for aid workers and highlighted the death of Australian Zomi Frankcom there in an Israeli drone strike on 1 April. WATCH HERE
   

• Union snubs Democrats | A national union that has supported Democratic candidates for nearly 30 years has withheld its endorsement this election. The influential International Brotherhood of Teamsters said it had received “few commitments” from either Vice President Kamala Harris or former president Donald Trump. READ MORE HERE
   

• Trump shooter left note | The suspected gunman behind a second assassination attempt on Trump allegedly left a note offering a $150,000 bounty for whoever could “complete the job.” Ryan Routh, 58, was arrested after allegedly aiming a rifle at Trump through the fence of Trump’s golf club in Florida. READ MORE HERE
   

• Trump, Harris eye 60 Minutes | The Trump and Harris campaigns are in talks to do back-to-back interviews with 60 Minutes to be aired on 7 October. The interviews could be the last major TV appearances for Trump, who has resisted calls to do a second debate; and Harris, who has come under criticism for avoiding media interviews. READ MORE HERE

EVENT

Competition in cyberspace and the future of US security leadership

The USSC is delighted to host Admiral (ret) Mike Rogers, the former Director of the US National Security Agency and former Commander of US Cyber Command in conversation with John Barron, co-host of ABC TV's Planet America for a panel discussion about some of the most pressing cyber and national security challenges of our time.

From banking to managing critical infrastructure, we are increasingly living our lives in cyberspace and subject to the threat of attack from rogue cyber actors. The panel will discuss what cyber and national security policy will look like under a Harris or Trump administration; how US cyber, intelligence and technology policy has evolved; and what the implications of the major cyber incidents of the last two years — from the Russia–Ukraine conflict to the Volt Typhoon campaign — mean for the world and for Australian businesses.

The panel discussion will be followed by a networking reception.

WHEN
25 October 2024. 4.30pm – 6.00pm AEDT

WHERE
Auditorium, The Michael Spence Building (F23) at the corner of Eastern Avenue and City Road, The University of Sydney

COST 
Free but registration is essential

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Did you USSC?

• COMMENTARY | India’s ‘weak link’ approach is strengthening the Quad
  USSC Maitri Fellow Riya Sinha on India's role in the Quad. READ HERE.
   
• COMMENTARY | ‘October surprises’ have changed US elections. Will they ruin Kamala Harris’ chances? 
  USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellows Bruce Wolpe on expecting the unexpected in the election's final stretch. READ HERE
   
• COMMENTARY | Aligning commercial technology with AUKUS Pillar II
  USSC Research Associate Sophie Mayo on creating incentives for commercial tech companies to fuel AUKUS defence innovation. READ HERE 
   
• PODCAST | State of the race
  USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellows Bruce Wolpe and Lester Munson joined Mari Koeck on the USSC's Briefing Room podcast to discuss the latest in the presidential election. LISTEN HERE

BY THE NUMBERS

Americans divided on where to focus US foreign policy

According to the USSC’s Allies and partners poll 2024, 47% of Americans believe the US Government prioritises the Middle East in its foreign policy. However, public opinion is increasingly divided on which region the United States should direct attention to.

The poll was conducted in June and asked over 1,000 Americans for their views. About one-third (32%) of Americans support a Middle Eastern focus, while a quarter (25%) believe Europe should take precedence. Despite ongoing US-China competition and national security concerns, fewer than one-fifth of Americans (18%) consider the Asia-Pacific a foreign policy priority. The remaining respondents were split between Latin America (18%) and Africa (7%).  

The perceived importance of the Middle East and Europe over other regions reveals how American public opinion shifts in response to the news cycle, particularly as the Israel-Hamas war and the Russian offensive in Ukraine continue to dominate headlines. 

The full polling report, authored by USSC Director of Research Jared Mondschein and Research Associates Ava Kalinauskas and Samuel Garrett, is available here. 

THE WEEK IN TWEETS

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