Australian views of the US

Views on AUKUS

The Trump-Xi meeting

Nuclear testing & risk of conflict

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. 

Trump and Xi may have come to a &ldquo;deal&rdquo;, but their meeting was a wasted opportunity. Plus: what do Australians think about our relationship with the US?&nbsp;
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 &ldquo;share values&rdquo; with Trump&rsquo;s America. Emma is then joined by Dr Frank Yuan and Allan Behm to discuss Trump&rsquo;s meeting with Xi and the chaos whirling around the president.&nbsp;
The first part of this discussion was recorded on Friday 31st October. The second part was recorded on Monday 3rd November.&nbsp;
Dead Centre: How political pragmatism is killing us by Richard Denniss is <a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/store/">available now </a>via Australia Institute Press.&nbsp;
Guest: Allan Behm, Special Advisor in International Affairs, the Australia Institute&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Guest: Dr Frank Yuan, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, The Australia Institute // <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/yuan-frank.bsky.social">@yuan-frank</a>&nbsp;
Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International &amp; Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/emmashortis.bsky.social">@emmashortis</a>&nbsp;
Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, the Australia Institute // <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/angusrb.bsky.social">@AngusRB</a>&nbsp;
Show notes:&nbsp;
<a href="https://australiainstitute.org.au/report/how-china-sees-the-south-china-sea/">How China Sees the South China Sea: Beijing&rsquo;s policy and interests in the South China Sea disputes</a> by Frank Yuan, Allan Behm and Rod Campbell, The Australia Institute (October 2025)&nbsp;
<a href="https://thepoint.com.au/news/251029-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-next-trump-xi-meeting">What you need to know about the next Trump/Xi meeting</a> by Emma Shortis, The Point (October 2025)&nbsp;
<a href="https://theconversation.com/american-exceptionalism-the-poison-that-cannot-protect-its-children-from-violent-death-184045">American exceptionalism: the poison that cannot protect its children from violent death</a> by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (May 2022)&nbsp;
Theme music: Blue Dot Sessions&nbsp;
We&rsquo;d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to <a href="https://theausinstitute-my.sharepoint.com/qnap-nas-tai.tai.local/NAS_Media&amp;Marketing/Podcast/After%20America/Episode%20descriptions/podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au">podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au</a>.&nbsp;

The United States we thought we knew is gone. And it isn’t coming back. 

Every week on After America, Dr Emma Shortis examines the second Trump presidency, what’s happening in global politics, and how Australia can help shape our rapidly changing world for the better. 

Presented by the Australia Institute.

The United States we thought we knew is gone. And it isn&rsquo;t coming back.&nbsp;
Every week on After America, Dr Emma Shortis examines the second Trump presidency, what&rsquo;s happening in global politics, and how Australia can help shape our rapidly changing world for the better.&nbsp;
Presented by the Australia Institute.

After America

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? 

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