Trump and Xi may have come to a “deal”, but their meeting was a wasted opportunity. Plus: what do Australians think about our relationship with the US?

On this episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis joins Angus Blackman to discuss some new Australia Institute polling, which shows that Australians are less than convinced that we “share values” with Trump’s America. Emma is then joined by Dr Frank Yuan and Allan Behm to discuss Trump’s meeting with Xi and the chaos whirling around the president.

The first part of this discussion was recorded on Friday 31st October. The second part was recorded on Monday 3rd November.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via Australia Institute Press.

Guest: Allan Behm, Special Advisor in International Affairs, the Australia Institute

Guest: Dr Frank Yuan, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The Australia Institute // @yuan-frank

Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, the Australia Institute // @AngusRB

Show notes:

How China Sees the South China Sea: Beijing’s policy and interests in the South China Sea disputes by Frank Yuan, Allan Behm and Rod Campbell, The Australia Institute (October 2025)

What you need to know about the next Trump/Xi meeting by Emma Shortis, The Point (October 2025)

American exceptionalism: the poison that cannot protect its children from violent death by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (May 2022)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may not be able to take the ‘president of peace’ at his word, but you can trust Trump to have his own interests in mind.

On this episode of After America, Matt Duss joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss Trump’s deployment of troops in the domestic United States, the administration’s attacks on Venezuela, negotiations over Gaza and Ukraine, and what it really means when the President makes a promise.

This discussion was recorded on Friday 24 October 2025.

You can sign our petition calling on the Australian Government to launch a parliamentary inquiry into AUKUS.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via Australia Institute Press.

Guest: Matt Duss, Executive Vice President, Center for International Policy // @mattduss

Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Show notes:

Trump’s tragedy: the US becomes an autocracy and the presidency, a dictatorship by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (October 2025)

Beyond the Two-State Solution: Policy responses to the Destruction of Palestine and the Insecurity of Israel, the Australia Institute (February 2025)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Albanese’s meeting with Donald Trump was relatively drama-free, but the devil is in the detail when it comes to the president’s ‘commitments’ on AUKUS and critical minerals.

On this crossover episode of Follow the Money and After America, Dr Emma Shortis and Ebony Bennett discuss why Australia is still unlikely to receive any Virginia-class submarines, why the “shared values” that supposedly underpin the Australia-US alliance are looking increasingly shaky, and Trump’s bizarre AI video showing himself dropping excrement on protesters.

You can sign our petition calling on the Australian Government to launch a parliamentary inquiry into AUKUS.

After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis is available via Australia Institute Press.

Guest: Emma Shortis, Director of International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebonybennett

Show notes:

Can Albanese claim ‘success’ with Trump? Beyond the banter, the vague commitments should be viewed with scepticism by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (October 2025)

Albanese hints US could still seek changes to Aukus agreement amid review by Josh Butler, Guardian Australia (October 2025)

Trump’s shutdown power play, After America, the Australia Institute (October 2025)

Trump’s tragedy: the US becomes an autocracy and the presidency, a dictatorship by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (October 2025)

Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump may have declared the war on Gaza over, but a welcome-but-shaky ceasefire and lasting peace are not the same thing.

On this episode of After America, Judge Navi Pillay, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and 2025 Sydney Peace Prize Laureate, joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss accountability in international law and the prerequisites for genuine peace.

This discussion was recorded on Monday 13 October 2025.

Details of Judge Navi Pillay’s Australian events are available on the Sydney Peace Foundation website.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via Australia Institute Press.

Guest: Navi Pillay, Chair of the United Nations Human Rights Council Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Show notes:

Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission finds, Office of the High Commissioner, United Nations Human Rights (September 2025)

Summary of ICJ’s Order of 24 May 2024, United Nations (May 2024)

2025 Peace Prize Citation: Navi Pillay, Sydney Peace Foundation (2025)

Beyond the Two-State Solution: Policy responses to the Destruction of Palestine and the Insecurity of Israel, the Australia Institute (February 2025)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Trump and his officials look at invoking the Insurrection Act, the administration is using the ongoing government shutdown to lay off workers and consolidate power.

On this episode of After America, Elizabeth Pancotti, economic policy specialist and former advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders, joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the US government shutdown and how the Trump administration is using it to further consolidate power.

This discussion was recorded on Friday 10 October 2025.

Tickets for America Unravelling, featuring Emma Shortis and Don Watson, on Sunday 19 October at the Queenscliffe Literary Festival are available online.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via Australia Institute Press.

Guest: Elizabeth Pancotti, Managing Director of Policy and Advocacy, Groundwork Collaborative // @ENPancotti

Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Show notes:

Trump administration officials seriously discussing invoking Insurrection Act, sources say, NBC News (October 2025)

Our PBS is a national treasure, not an international trade barrier, the Australia Institute (April 2025)

American Consumers Sour on Trump’s Economy as Health Care Costs Climb, Groundwork Collaborative (October 2025)

An Economy on Ice as Americans Prepare for a Health Care Price Fright, Groundwork Collaborative (October 2025)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After several failed attempts at brokering a ceasefire, President Donald Trump, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, announced a 20-point peace plan for Gaza.

On this episode of After America, Antoun Issa joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the prospects for a deal that did not include Palestinians in the negotiating process. They also discuss the role of the United States in the Middle East, how power works in foreign policy, and opening up space for a bigger discussion about foreign policy here in Australia.

This episode was recorded on Friday 3 October.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via Australia Institute Press.

Guest: Antoun Issa, Founder, DeepCut // @antounissa

Host: Emma Shortis, Director of International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Show notes:

Beyond the Two-State Solution: Policy responses to the Destruction of Palestine and the Insecurity of Israel, the Australia Institute (February 2025)

Australians overwhelmingly back sanctions on Israel, new poll finds by Alex McKinnon, DeepCut (October 2025)

Tony Blair Should Be on Trial for War Crimes, Not Running Gaza by Mehdi Hasan, Zeteo (October 2025)

Israel has committed genocide in the Gaza Strip, UN Commission finds, United Nations Commission for Human Rights (September 2025)

Skewering History: the odious politics of counting Gaza’s dead by Richard Hil and Gideon Polya, Arena (July 2025)

The Aspiring Novelist Who Became Obama’s Foreign-Policy Guru: How Ben Rhodes rewrote the rules of diplomacy for the digital age by David Samuels, New York Times Magazine (May 2016)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

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As Trump takes a sledgehammer to American democracy, Australia’s leader snagged a selfie – and a one-on-one meeting in October. How that will go is anyone’s guess.

On this episode of After America, Charlie Lewis joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the apparent obsession of Anthony Albanese’s opponents with that bilateral meeting, the transformation of the Republican Party under Trump, and how Australia’s political landscape is being influenced by MAGA.

This episode was recorded on Thursday 25 September.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Charlie Lewis, reporter-at-large, Crikey // @theshufflediary

Host: Emma Shortis, Director of International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Show notes:

Welcome to the new McCarthyism by Charlie Lewis, Crikey (September 2025)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a rocky week for Australian diplomacy, Prime Minister Albanese is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly...and maybe, just maybe, a meeting with President Trump.

On this episode of After America, Allan Behm joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the MAGA movement’s weaponisation of Charlie Kirk’s murder, why no Trump meeting might be the best outcome for Anthony Albanese, formal recognition of Palestine, and Australia’s disastrous fortnight of Pacific diplomacy.

This episode was recorded on Monday 22 September.

‘Save Tuvalu, Save the World’ is our September Politics in the Pub – join us at 6.30pm on Wednesday 24 September live in Canberra or via the livestream.

Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is available now via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Allan Behm, Special Advisor in International Affairs, the Australia Institute

Host: Emma Shortis, Director of International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis

Show notes:

Jimmy Kimmel’s cancellation is the latest sign we’re witnessing the end of US democracy by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (September 2025)

Australia’s failure of diplomacy in PNG shows we can’t – and won’t – understand our Pacific neighbours by Allan Behm, Guardian Australia (September 2025)

Anote Tong & Dr Monique Ryan MP | Melbourne, the Australia Institute on YouTube (March 2024)

Rt Hon Enele Sopoaga PC - Keynote | Climate Integrity Summit 2024, The Australia Institute on YouTube (March 2024)

Is Australia REALLY choosing to help our Pacific neighbours? The Australia Institute on YouTube (August 2025)

Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions

We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au.

Support After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.