Donald Trump's return to The White House is up-ending the way America works — at home and on the global stage. Does it herald the potential social, political, and constitutional collapse of United States? The world has watched nations sleepwalk into ultranationalist fascism before, is this that moment? Or is American democracy more resilient than any one demagogue? Are we on the cusp of new world order, and how will Australia play its cards if the USA no longer has our back?

This event was presented by Adelaide Writers Week and the Australia Institute.

Speakers

Dr Emma ShortisAuthor, Our Exceptional Friend: Australia's Fatal Alliance with the USDirector of The Australia Institute's International & Security Affairs program

Dr Nick BryantJournalist, historianAuthor, The Forever War: America's Unending Conflict with ItselfFormer BBC correspondentPresenter of Saturday Extra on ABC Radio National

Allan BehmAuthor, The Odd Couple: The Australia-America Relationship (2024)Special Advisor, International Political Affairs, The Australia Institute

Dr Prudence FlowersAuthor, The Reagan Revolution (2025)President, Australian and New Zealand American Studies AssociationSenior lecturer in US history at Flinders University

Three Listener Questions