Matt Bevan on the midterms and where Trump’s money comes from

Faced with an entirely new type of president, the Australian government insists on playing an old game by the old rules.
Dr Emma Shortis reflects on Trump’s “joke” about a third term in office at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, before If You’re Listening host Matt Bevan returns to the show to discuss the midterms and Trump’s finances.
This episode was recorded Friday 24 July.
Pre-order More Fool Me: How the gas industry tricked Australia by Richard Denniss, the latest Vantage Point essay from Australia Institute Press. Use the code ‘FOOLME’ on a four-edition Vantage Point subscription to receive a free copy of Richard’s book, Econobabble.
Guest: Matt Bevan, journalist and host of If You’re Listening, Australian Broadcasting Corporation // @mattbevan
Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Show notes:
Where EXACTLY is Trump’s money coming from?, If You’re Listening, ABC News (July 2026)
If You’re Listening: Declassified by Matt Bevan, HarperCollins (May 2026)
After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis, Australia Institute Press (May 2025)
Photo: The White House/Flickr (U.S. Government work)
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. Subscribe to After America on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Between the Lines Newsletter
The biggest stories and the best analysis from the team at the Australia Institute, delivered to your inbox every fortnight.
You might also like
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
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
Correspondents’ dinner attacked, MAGA confronts midterms
Violence is a feature of American democracy.


