Nicola Smith

Nicola Smith, a Canberra bureau chief specializing in Australian politics, and Jessica Gardner, a Washington correspondent focused on US relations, discuss the implications of Anthony Albanese's upcoming meeting with Donald Trump. They examine Australia’s diplomatic setbacks in securing defense treaties with PNG and Vanuatu, highlighting growing Chinese influence in the Pacific. The duo also offers insights into the strategic stakes of these issues, emphasizing how they could shape regional power dynamics and Australia's role in Pacific security.