As China’s rapid military modernisation reshapes the regional security landscape, deterrence has become the cornerstone of US and allied strategies in the Indo-Pacific. Former US Marine Corps Commandant General David Berger (ret’d) joined the USSC Briefing Room, reflecting on the bold reforms that transformed the Marine Corps and the growing importance of interoperability with allies like Australia for deterrence.

How do these changes strengthen deterrence? What role does cultural understanding play in preventing conflict? And what does the future hold for US readiness in a contested region?

Recently, a gunman killed four people and wounded eight at a Latter Day Saints (or Mormon) church in Michigan. President Trump described this as “yet another targeted attack on Christians in the United States of America” – but there are distinct differences between this and other high-profile shootings.

How was this similar to or different from other attacks on religious institutions in America? What are the motivations behind these attacks? Is there a throughline between the assassination of Charlie Kirk and an attack on an LDS church in Michigan?

Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy at the United States Studies Centre David Smith joined the podcast to discuss these questions. He is one of Australia’s leading experts on religious persecution in America and is the author of Religious Persecution and Political Order in the United States.

Related content:

• The Michigan church shooting sits within a long history of hatred against Mormons in America
• USSC Briefing Room | Religious Persecution and Political Order in the United States

President Trump wants to make American shipbuilding great again. China has significant dominance in shipbuilding with 34% of all ships on water being made in China and 57% of ships under construction being made in China.

How do systems around finance and infrastructure influence global power dynamics? How much of a concern is increasing US shipbuilding? What role does Australia play in the shipbuilding ecosystem?

2025 USSC-American Australian Association Fellow Dr Mary Bridges joined USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck to discuss these issues. Dr Bridges is currently an Ernest May Fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center and she’s the author of the book Dollars and Dominion: U.S. Bankers and the Making of a Superpower. Her research looks at the intersection of US foreign relations and business history. While in Australia, she conducted research on shipbuilding and infrastructure in both the United States and Australia.

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Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

This week Lisa Curtis joins the podcast. She is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Indo-Pacific Program for a New American Security and she served in the US Government for more than 20 years across the White House National Security Council, CIA, State Department and Capitol Hill.

What has changed in America at home and abroad from a year ago? Are US alliances fit for purpose? Where can US allies go from here?

These were key questions that Lisa Curtis looked at in her panel discussions at Sydney International Strategy Forum 2025. We took a deeper dive into these topics on the podcast.

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Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

When Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited China this year, his visit to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding got some of the most media attention.

How did pandas become China’s national treasure and how are they used in diplomacy? Could trade wars or heightened competition with China lead to the removal of pandas from the United States or other countries? What role will this “national treasure” play in future international relations?

Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy at USSC David Smith and Senior Lecturer in Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney Minglu Chen joined the podcast to discuss their recent paper in The Pacific Review titled “Panda diplomacy revisited: state interests and public emotions.”

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Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

Legislation is hard to pass in the United States, but tends to have a longer-lasting impact than executive orders, which can be easily overturned. President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act put climate change at the forefront of his legislative agenda. Now, with President Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, we see the first major legislative action of Trump 2.0, particularly related to climate change and energy.

How “Trump proof” was Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act? How does the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act change the dial on energy and climate policy? What will be the lasting energy legacy of Trump 2.0?

Director of Research Jared Mondschein sat down with USSC Non-Resident Fellow Lachlan Carey to discuss these issues. Lachlan is a manger at RMI, where he leads work on US regional economic development through clean energy investment. He is also the author of the Trump 2.0 chapter “Climate and energy policies: Executing the Inflation Reduction Act.”

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Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

Six years after his death in prison, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continues to make headlines due to his longtime friendship with President Trump. While most news cycles in the Trump-era have a flashbang approach, this one has remarkable staying power and the legal logistics are key to understanding the story.

What was the legal case against Epstein and his partner Ghislaine Maxwell? How have the FBI and DOJ handled questions around this case under Trump? Why is there a strong possibility Maxwell could win her Supreme Court appeal?

USSC Honorary Associate Dr Harry Melkonian joined the podcast to discuss these issues. Dr Melkonian is a legal educator and has extensive experience in practicing law in both the United States and Australia.

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Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

The White House has recently released America’s AI Action Plan: Winning the race and, in launching the plan, President Trump said, “America is the country that started the AI race. And as President of the United States, I’m here today to declare that America is going to win it.”

How much of the AI Action Plan is about competing with China? What is in the plan and what’s missing? What could or should Australia’s role be in the AI race?

Director of Strategic Technologies Olivia Shen joined Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck on the podcast to discuss these questions. Olivia previously led the Data Science and AI Strategy section for the Australian Department of Home Affairs and she was a Fulbright Scholar looking at the ethics of AI in national security.

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Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat