The United States Studies Centre hosted an exclusive event in partnership with The Sydney Morning Herald.

April 30 marked 100 days of the second Trump administration. While many expected the return of an unconventional administration, the speed and degree of actions thus far have surprised even the most seasoned of analysts.

What do the first 100 days tell us about the next four years? Is this an aberration or the new normal? How should Australia navigate this administration?

The Sydney Morning Herald's foreign affairs and national security correspondent Matthew Knott unpacked the key issues of the second Trump administration with political and international editor Peter Hartcher and world editor Catherine Naylor.

They 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.

Export controls and investment screening are taking centre stage in the United States as Washington attempts to protect military and industrial advantages against China while simultaneously exploiting commercial opportunities for its high-tech industries and expanding technological cooperation with allies and partners. Within this complex policy context, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia are seeking greater harmonisation of national export control systems to unlock new defence and technology trade opportunities and deliver on the AUKUS partnership.

These developments raise critical questions for Australian stakeholders. What is the state of play for export controls in the United States, and what can we expect under a second Trump Administration? Will we see alignment on export controls between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia? And what does this all mean for Australia and the AUKUS enterprise?

To address these questions, the United States Studies Centre hosted a webinar with Kevin J. Wolf, Partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and a former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration under the first and second Obama Administrations (2010–17). Mr Wolf has more than 30 years’ experience advising on export controls, sanctions, and international trade, with expertise in US Export Administration Regulations (EAR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

This conversation was hosted by Tom Corben, Research Fellow in the Foreign Policy and Defence Program at the United States Studies Centre. Mr Corben is the co-author of Breaking the barriers: Reforming US export controls to realise the potential of AUKUS and AUKUS enablers? Assessing defence trade control reforms in Australia and the United States.

This event is made possible with funding from the US State Department.

As US-China technology competition intensifies, governments across the world are keeping a tighter grip on the advanced semiconductor chips, AI models, and investments that underpin AI. This is complicated by the fact that the private sector — not government — is at the cutting edge of AI and associated technology innovations. With emerging technology now considered central to national security, both government and the private sector must find new ways to coordinate and collaborate.

What impact will the new Trump administration have on US-China competition? Are the controls around semiconductor chips and AI models a sustainable approach? How can governments coordinate their export controls, investment screening and other regulation efforts? Will we gradually see international alignment on these issues – what are the current barriers?

To unpack these questions, the United States Studies Centre brought together an esteemed panel:

• Kevin J. Wolf is Partner at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) under the first and second Obama administrations (2010–17). Kevin has more than 30 years of experience advising on export controls, sanctions and other international trade issues, with particular knowledge across the US’ Export Administration Regulations (EAR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and regulations administered by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Kevin J. Wolf’s trip to Australia is made possible by the generous support of the US Department of State.
• Dr Alan Dupont AO is founder and CEO of geopolitical risk consultancy the Cognoscenti Group. He is also Defence and National Security Advocate for the Northern Territory Government. One of Australia’s best-known strategists he has an international reputation for his expertise on geopolitical risk, defence and national security having worked extensively at the interface of security, politics, business and technology in government, the private sector and academia.

Moderating the discussion was Hayley Channer, the Director of the Economic Security Program with the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. Hayley has a diverse background having worked as an Australian Government official, Ministerial adviser, think tank analyst, and represented global non-profit organisations.

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.