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31 October 2025
President Trump’s long-awaited meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was not just news locally in Australia, but globally. United States Studies Centre (USSC) experts were exceptionally busy with media this month – from the hostage release in Gaza to the Trump-Albanese bilateral and now President Trump’s Asia tour – our cumulative media reach was more than 2 billion, with 80% of that audience being international.
Of particular interest was our polling, revealing notable trends around Australian attitudes towards President Trump and the United States during his second term. Only 16% of Australians believe that the second Trump administration has been good for Australia and there was a 13-point drop in Australians who say their alliance with the United States makes Australia more secure. But, despite this, only 17% of Australians want to withdraw from the US alliance. In the coming weeks, we will release our 2025 Allies and Partners Poll, which will include all four Quad countries for the first time. Sign up for research alerts here to ensure you are one of the first to know when it is released.
Beyond media this month, the team kept up their rapid pace for events. We co-hosted the Governor of Utah Stephen Cox for an event on AUKUS innovation with the American Australian Association and then facilitated a critical minerals roundtable with a Utah delegation, partnering with The Asia Group. The Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia also joined our event on Russian disinformation.
At the same time that President Trump visited Japan, CEO Dr Michael Green has been leading the Australian cohort of the Japan-Australia Dialogue and Exchange (JADE) for Next Generation fellows on their trip to Japan. During their trip, they met with Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Shimada Tomoaki, amongst other government and business leaders.
Finally, we want to extend a heartfelt congratulations to our Chairman the Honourable Arthur Sinodinos AO on his honorary doctorate from the University of Sydney. He was admitted to the degree of Doctor of Business for his decades of public service, being recognised for his contribution in the fields of politics, public policy and diplomacy. The well-deserved award represents the highest level of recognition from the University.
We look forward to a busy month ahead as we are one year out from the US midterms and will host our annual Women in the Alliance Dinner. Thank you for your continued support of the work of the USSC. We hope to see you at some of our upcoming events!
News
Utah Governor Spencer Cox leads delegation for AUKUS and critical minerals discussions
Utah Governor Spencer Cox headed up a delegation that visited the USSC this month. USSC and the American Australian Association hosted a closed-door event to discuss opportunities for innovation and cooperation within AUKUS, which included a panel discussion with the Director-General of the Australian Submarine Agency Vice Admiral Jonathan Mead AO RAN and Head of Defence and National Security at the Australian Industry Group and Senior Adviser for Defence Strategy with the USSC Prof. Peter Dean. The conversation was moderated by USSC Director of Foreign Policy and Defence Dr Lavina Lee.
The next day the USSC and The Asia Group hosted a roundtable on critical minerals with the Utah delegation and industry leaders from Australia.
Weaponising words: Russia’s global influence playbook
The Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia, His Excellency Vasyl Myroshnychenko, ex-career diplomat and strategic communications specialist Natalia Solieva and University of Sydney Senior Lecturer in Digital Cultures Dr Olga Boichak joined a panel discussion with USSC Director of Strategic Technologies for a special event on Russian disinformation and foreign influence campaigns. The event looked at:
- The tactics and narratives commonly used in Russian disinformation campaigns.
- The impact of these campaigns across different regions.
- How governments, civil society and communities can strengthen resilience against foreign influence.
USSC Chairman The Hon. Arthur Sinodinos AO receives honorary doctorate from the University of Sydney
Congratulations to our Chairman The Hon. Arthur Sinodinos AO on his honorary doctorate at the University of Sydney this week in recognition of his outstanding achievements over his impactful career. An honorary doctorate is the highest level of recognition by the university and it is very well deserved. His address to The University of Sydney Business School graduates was an optimistic and compelling message and celebrated the role of universities in our broader society.
2026 AAA-USSC Postdoctoral Fellowship
Applications are now open for the 2026 American Australian Association-USSC Postdoctoral Fellowship.
We’re seeking early-career American scholars (that is, within five years of PhD conferral) whose research aligns with the Centre’s mission to deepen understanding of US politics, culture, and foreign policy.
This four-month Fellowship offers:
- A research stipend of up to US$40,000
- Mentorship from senior scholars
- Opportunities to collaborate in teaching and research
- An office at the University of Sydney's Darlington campus
For further information on the application process, please contact Richard Burrows, AAA Director of Education, richard.burrows@americanaustralian.org
For further information on the fellowship and USSC, contact Dr Rodney Taveira, USSC Academic Director, rodney.taveira@sydney.edu.au.
Applications close 15 November 2025.
Recent content from us
REPORTProtecting the homeland: Accelerating ground-based air and missile defence for AustraliaIn this report, Senior Adviser for Defence Strategy Prof. Peter Dean makes the case for more investment by the Australian Government in IAMD in its upcoming National Defence Strategy. |
REPORTThe once and future US National Technology and Industrial Base: An American perspectiveIn the third report in the US National Technology and Industrial Base (NTIB) series, Dr William Greenwalt, one of America’s preeminent defence industrial policy experts, says that the Trump administration must double down on cooperation with close allies like Australia to meet its ‘America First’ defence industrial goals. |
POLLINGThe Albanese-Trump summit: Where do Australians stand on their most important ally?USSC Senior Research Associate Samuel Garrett, Senior Research Associate Ava Kalinauskas and Director of Research Jared Mondschein provide a snapshot of Australian perceptions of the United States through ten key takeaways ahead of Prime Minister Albanese’s scheduled meeting with President Trump. |
EXPLAINERLandmark laws for AI transparencyUSSC Director of Strategic Technology Olivia Shen and Research Associate Johanna Lim outline California’s SB53, the first state law requiring AI transparency, safety reporting and whistleblower protections, setting a global precedent for regulating frontier AI while supporting innovation. |
EXPLAINERForeign direct investment screening in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and the European Union: recent reformsResearch Associate Sahara Hoff analyses recent reforms in foreign direct investment (FDI) screening and their economic impacts, including a timeline of key changes to FDI regulations. |
POLLINGDespite anxiety about Trump, Asia's maritime democracies are increasingly aligned on securityIn new polling, Senior Research Associate Ava Kalinauskas and Director of Research Jared Mondschein provide a snapshot of how citizens in the Quad countries perceive the strategic environment around them, China's role in Asia and perspectives on each other during a time of rising geopolitical tension. |
Sydney International Strategy Forum 2025
Missed our flagship conference this year? Catch up online. Video recordings from the Sydney International Strategy Forum 2025 are now available.
Fireside conversation with Dr Kurt Campbell
America abroad, America at home: How much has changed?
Keynote address from Avril Haines
Is China winning in the Indo-Pacific?
Are US alliances fit for purpose? AUKUS, the Quad, and the future of security cooperation
Navigating disruption in trade and finance
Leading on economic security: AI and critical minerals
Keynote address from General David Berger (Ret’d)
Can allies shape US strategy?
Upcoming events
The rise and reign of right-wing humour: How liberals lost comedy and helped Trump win
Professor Nick Marx from Colorado State University will present his paper about how liberals lost comedy and helped Trump win.
Now more than ever, nearly a year into the second Trump presidency, this paper urges renewed attention to the hegemonic pull of right-wing politics on US and Global North comedy, humour, and satire. With late-night luminaries like Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and Jimmy Kimmel, liberals have long assumed they own political satire and humour.
Marx's paper argues that it is both an intellectual and politically strategic mistake to assume that comedy has a liberal bias. For years, the right has been slowly building up a comedy-industrial complex, utilising the humorous, irony-laden media strategies of liberal comedians to garner audiences and supporters. Even though liberals struggle to acknowledge conservative humour – or dismiss it out of hand when they do – right-wing comedy has been hiding in plain sight, finding its way into mainstream conservative media through figures ranging from Fox News's Greg Gutfeld to libertarian podcasters like Joe Rogan.
Please join us for an event featuring Nick Marx, Professor of Film and Media Studies at Colorado State University, followed by a discussion moderated by USSC Academic Director and Senior Lecturer in American Studies, Dr Rodney Taveira.
17 November 2025
6:00-7:00pm AEDTAuditorium, The Michael Spence Building (F23) Corner of Eastern Avenue and City Road The University of Sydney NSW 2006
Cost: Free, but registration is essential
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United States Studies Centre
Institute Building (H03)
University of Sydney NSW 2006
