After America

From Minnesota to Greenland, the Trump administration is bulldozing guardrails meant to protect human life and dignity. On this episode of After America, Professor Elizabeth N Saunders from Columbia University joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the “chaotic cruelty” of the Trump administration, its escalation of hostilities over Greenland and whether it will strike Iran. This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 13 January (AEDT) 2026. A time for Bravery: what happens when Australia chooses courage is available now via Australia Institute Press. Use the code ‘POD5’ to get $5 off. Guest: Elizabeth N Sauders, Professor of Political Science, Columbia University // @profsaunders Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis Show notes: ‘What happens now in Venezuela – and the world?’ by Elizabeth N Saunders, Good Authority (January 2026) ‘Imperial President at Home, Emperor Abroad’ by Elizabeth Saunders, Foreign Affairs (June 2025) ‘Reluctance to look at US with "clear eyes" becoming increasingly untenable: US expert’ by Tegan George, The Point (January 2026) After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis, Australia Institute Press (May 2025) 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 [email protected] After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Trump administration’s imperial march is gathering pace. On this episode of After America, Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman discuss the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, the credibility of the Trump administration’s threats against Greenland and elsewhere, and the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer. This discussion was recorded on Friday 9 January 2026. A time for Bravery: what happens when Australia chooses courage is available now via Australia Institute Press. Use the code ‘POD5’ to get $5 off. Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, the Australia Institute // @AngusRB Show notes: ‘What you need to know about Trump administration's abduction of Nicolás Maduro’ by Emma Shortis, The Point (January 2026) ‘Trump is destroying the rules of international behaviour. Australia can – and must – act now’ by Allan Behm, Guardian Australia (January 2026) Polling – Australia-US Security, the Australia Institute (November 2025) ‘Exclusive: UK suspends some intelligence sharing with US over boat strike concerns in major break’ by Natasha Betrand, CNN (November 2025) ‘‘The whole thing disgusts me’: Australians ditch US travel as new rules require social media to be declared’ by Daisy Dumas and Ben Doherty, Guardian Australia (December 2025) 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 [email protected] After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Defense Secretary Hegseth doesn’t want the US military to fight with “stupid rules of engagement”. On this episode of After America, Allan Behm and Angus Blackman discuss the American ‘double-tap’ strike on an alleged drug boat, Pete Hegseth’s use of Signal to share sensitive military information, and why Trump spent a night posting 160 times on Truth Social. This discussion was recorded on Friday 5 December 2025. A time for Bravery: what happens when Australia chooses courage is available now via Australia Institute Press. Use the code ‘POD5’ to get $5 off. Aiming Higher: Universities and Australia’s future by Professor George Williams is also available now. Guest: Allan Behm, Advisor, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, the Australia Institute // @AngusRB Show notes: War Crimes: Where do Responsibility and Accountability Start and End? By Allan Behm, the Australia Institute (May 2025) What legal experts say about second US strike on Venezuela boat by Lucy Gelder, BBC (December 2025) Pentagon Report: Hegseth Risked Endangering Troops With Signal Messages, The Atlantic (December 2025) Trump’s night of 160 posts on Truth Social fuels debate about US president’s stamina by Richard Luscombe, The Guardian (December 2025) 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 [email protected] After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trump’s statements about resuming American nuclear testing left administration officials scrambling. On this episode of After America, Dr Ruth Mitchell, neurosurgeon and Nobel Prize winner with the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the 80th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Trump’s nuclear testing claims, American healthcare under RFK Jr.’s leadership, and the misogyny at the heart of key US institutions. This discussion was recorded on Wednesday 19 November 2025. 1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. Call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, chat online or video call via their website. A time for Bravery: what happens when Australia chooses courage is available for pre-order now via Australia Institute Press. Use the code ‘SAVE5’ to get $5 off. Aiming Higher: Universities and Australia’s future by Professor George Williams is also available now. Guest: Ruth Mitchell, Chair, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War // @drruthmitchell Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis Show notes: Medicine price comparison between Australia and the United States by Matt Grudnoff, the Australia Institute (April 2025) While the rest of the world rushes to hire US scientists that Trump has cut, Australia follows in his footsteps by Tegan George, The Point (November 2025) Man collapses behind Donald Trump during White House announcement by Richard Wood, 9 News (November 2025) As Summers Sought Clandestine Relationship With Woman He Called a Mentee, Epstein Was His ‘Wing Man’ by Dhuruv T Patel and Cam N Srivastava, The Harvard Crimson (November 2025) 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 [email protected] After America: https://nb.australiainstitute.org.au/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.