December 2025
The nuclear option
Trump’s statements about American nuclear testing left administration officials scrambling.
November 2025
Did the US play a role in the Whitlam dismissal?
Rumours about America’s role in the dismissal of Gough Whitlam have circulated for decades – but is there any truth to them?
“Anti-achievement” Democrats let pressure off Trump
By negotiating an end to the government shutdown without getting anything much in return, some Democrats have gone back to their old trick of resisting the President by giving him exactly what he needs.
Democrats sweep to victory after shutdown becomes longest ever
In New York City, California, New Jersey and Virginia, American voters sent Trump and Republicans a clear message.
“Everything is uncertain”: Trump-Xi meeting leaves the world on edge
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?
October 2025
Trust Trump to be Trump
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.
Albanese visits Trump as US democracy circles a golden drain
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.
Can Albanese claim ‘success’ with Trump? Beyond the banter, the vague commitments should be viewed with scepticism
By all the usual diplomatic measures, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s meeting with US President Donald Trump was a great success. “Success” in a meeting with Trump is to avoid the ritual humiliation the president sometimes likes to inflict on his interlocutors. In that sense, Albanese and his team pulled off an impressive diplomatic feat. While there was one awkward
No peace without accountability: Sydney Peace Laureate Navi Pillay
Donald Trump may have declared the war on Gaza over, but a welcome-but-shaky ceasefire and lasting peace are not the same thing.
Trump’s shutdown power play
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.
Trump’s plan no path to lasting peace
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.
Will Australia step up on the global stage?
With the international order changing rapidly, there’s never been a more important time for effective Australian diplomacy.
September 2025
Our mate Donald
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.
MAGA deifies Kirk as Australia recognises Palestine
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.
The mindless menace of violence
Instead of trying bring Americans together after the latest act of political violence, the Trump administration is fanning the flames of division.
“I’m not a dictator”: how Trump is consolidating executive power
Trump is behaving like “an emperor”, enabled by insufficient checks and balances on the power of the Oval Office.
August 2025
Empire strikes back
An imperial revival is occurring under the second Trump presidency.
The Trump-Putin bromance continues at Alaska meeting
US President Donald Trump rolled out the red carpet for Russian President Vladimir Putin this week. But did he get played again?
Will Trump run again?
“Probably not…”
Australians march for Palestine as Trump shoots the messenger
On this special crossover episode of Follow the Money and After America, Dr Emma Shortis joins Glenn Connley to discuss the Australian protests calling for more action to protect Palestinians, the momentum against the troubled AUKUS submarine pact, and Trump’s decision to fire his chief of labour statistics after job growth slowed. This discussion was
Australians march for Palestine as Trump shoots the messenger
From Gaza to AUKUS, pressure for change is building on Australian foreign policy.
July 2025
Are the Democrats an unworkable coalition?
By courting neo-cons and failing to address cost of living concerns, have establishment Democrats signed the party’s death warrant?
Donald Trump cannot make the Epstein files go away. Will this be the story that brings him down?
Conspiracy theories are funny things. The most enduring ones usually take hold for two reasons: first, because there’s some grain of truth to them, and second, because they speak to foundational historical divisions. The theories morph and change, distorting the grain of truth at their centre beyond reality. In the process, they reinforce and deepen
Six months down, 42 to go (maybe…)
It’s only been SIX MONTHS.
Trump’s pharma tariffs would hurt Americans the most
A 200 per cent tariff on pharmaceuticals would help Big Pharma make bigger profits, but it’d be a disaster for Americans’ health.
Does Donald Trump deserve the Nobel Peace Prize? We asked 5 experts
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally nominated United States President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. He says the president is “forging peace as we speak, in one country, in one region after the other”. Trump, who has craved the award for years, sees himself as a global peacemaker in a raft of
Trump’s Big Bill makes America more dangerous while enriching a few
The legislation will turbocharge inequality and the climate catastrophe – and it’s all part of the administration’s plan to radically reshape American society.
How’s that trade war working out?
Last week, President Donald Trump announced that the United States had signed a trade deal with China. Did it though?
June 2025
All the way with the USA?
Despite demands from the hawks that the Australia Government fall in line with the United States over Iran, it’s not inevitable that Australia supports illegal American military intervention.
Why did Trump join the Israel-Iran war?
It’s never about regime change (until it is).
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