After America

No one knows what’ll happen at the November midterms or the next presidential election. Is the Australian government prepared for the worst-case scenario?
On this bonus episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis joins Glenn Connley to discuss the upcoming midterm elections in the United States, how the Trump administration has been chipping away at the guardrails of American democracy, and whether the Australian government is prepared for the possibility of disputed elections in its major alliance partner.
This episode was recorded Tuesday 21 July.
Guest: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Host: Glenn Connley, Senior Media Advisor, the Australia Institute // @glennconnley
Show notes:
After America: Australia and the new world order by Emma Shortis, Australia Institute Press (May 2025)
Trump administration chips away at independent media, faith in democracy, After America, the Australia Institute (July 2026)
Christopher Pyne declares AUKUS 'unstoppable', and says Parliament shouldn't vote on it, The Point (July 2026)
Trump’s tragedy: the US becomes an autocracy and the presidency, a dictatorship by Emma Shortis, The Conversation (October 2025)
Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by 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.
Support After America & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/3QRFNjB
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Washington Post journalist Anna Fifield reflects on her time at the paper, the state of American media, and New Zealand’s role in the world.
On this episode of After America, New Zealand-based journalist Anna Fifield joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the American media during Trump’s second term, views of the United States and China in New Zealand, and what the Australian government can learn from Kiwi diplomacy.
This episode was recorded on Friday 17 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: Anna Fifield, New Zealand-based independent journalist and foreign affairs analyst // @annafifield
Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Show notes:
Shorter America: How to steal an election; the US in the World; New and old friends by Emma Shortis, The Point (July 2026)
How do Australians and New Zealanders view Asia and the world in 2026?, the Asia New Zealand Foundation (July 2026)
Mr Albanese goes to the Pacific (again) by Allan Behm, The Point (July 2026)
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.
Support After America & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/3QRFNjB
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing The Australia Institute's new podcast series, What's the Point? with Richard Denniss.
Subscribe to the show on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
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On the first episode of What’s the Point?, Richard Denniss discusses the reasons behind One Nation grabbing the headlines, why it is highly unlikely Pauline Hanson will be Prime Minister after the next election and what the current Prime Minister can do to turn things around for Labor.
Host: Richard Denniss, co-Chief Executive Officer, the Australia Institute // @richarddenniss
Host: Anna Chang, Managing Editor, The Point // @annachang
This episode was recorded on Friday 26 June.
For more research and analysis, visit The Point.
Support After America & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/3QRFNjB
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even with his luxury jet grounded, Trump and his administration have flown the United States into a strategic black hole.
On this episode of After America, Allan Behm joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the demise of an Iran agreement that never really lived, the latest NATO summit, the death of Senator Lindsey Graham, and the evolution of the Australian government’s diplomacy in the Pacific Island region.
This episode was recorded live on Monday 13 July.
Guest: Allan Behm, Special Advisor, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute
Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Show notes:
Shorter America: On China; SCOTUS Season; Book reviews by Emma Shortis, The Point (July 2026)
Mr Albanese goes to the Pacific (again) by Allan Behm, The Point (July 2026)
PALMed off: The story of modern slavery in Australia, Follow the Money, the Australia Institute (January 2026)
How Marco Rubio Is Running Venezuela From Afar by Tyler Pager and Anatoly Kurmanaev, The New York Times (July 2026)
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.
Support After America & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/3QRFNjB
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, in a heat wave, delayed by storms, Donald Trump gave a very Donald Trump speech.
We expected that. But what can we expect next? On this episode of After America, Dr Emma Shortis and Angus Blackman discuss the November midterm elections and what they might bring. After Emma’s trip to Brussels and Berlin, they also reflect the contrasts between European and Australian views of the United States.
This episode was recorded live on Monday 6 July.
Guest: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @emmashortis
Host: Angus Blackman, Executive Producer, the Australia Institute // @AngusRB
Show notes:
This World Cup shows who holds the cards in Trump’s economy, After America, the Australia Institute (June 2026)
From Europe’s strategic settings to China’s overcapacities – a view through an antipodean lens, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (June 2026)
The 2026 midterm elections, Brookings
‘God is non-binary’: Texas Dem nominee Talarico’s past remarks on abortion, race and gender draw scrutiny by Peter Pinedo & Paul Steinhauser, Fox News (March 2026)
STRICTLY BALLROOM! PEP with Chas & Dr Emma Shortis, PEP podcast (October 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 podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au. Subscribe to After America on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you get your favourite podcasts.
Support After America & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/3QRFNjB
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.