Two weeks after the US elected its next president, the United States Studies Centre hosted its flagship conference, the Sydney International Strategy Forum — bringing together key national security strategists from the Biden-Harris and Trump-Pence administrations, along with other experts and senior policymakers from the United States, Australia, Japan, Korea and elsewhere — to assess the election outcome and its impact on the world.
The forum provided a deep dive into how the new Trump administration will address challenges such as China’s rising influence, regional security architecture, and economic integration in the Indo-Pacific. In exploring the administration's multilateral and alliance strategies, particularly in the context of emerging threats and strategic competition in the region, the event provided unrivalled insight into the next steps on AUKUS and defence cooperation, US trade policy and the decoupling debate.
Featured speakers
Dr Kurt Campbell
US Deputy Secretary of State
Stephanie Murphy
Former US Congresswoman (2017–23)
Air Chief Marshal Sir Angus Houston AK, AFC (Ret’d)
Former Chief of the Australian Defence Force
Dennis Richardson AC
Former Secretary of the Department of Defence
Kristen Silverberg
Former US Ambassador to the European Union (2008-09)
Rui Matsukawa
Member, Japanese House of Councillors
Dr Mara Karlin
Former US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities (2021–2023)
Matthew Turpin
Former US National Security Council Director for Asia (2018-19)
The Honourable Arthur Sinodinos AO
Former Australian Ambassador to the United States
Heino Klinck
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for East Asia
Dr Peter Sawczak
First Assistant Secretary, Geostrategy and Partnerships DivisionDepartment of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Geraldine Doogue AO
Senior presenterAustralian Broadcasting Corporation
Paul Kelly
Editor-at-LargeThe Australian
Peter Hartcher
Political editor and international editorThe Sydney Morning Herald and The Age
Cameron Stewart
Chief International CorrespondentThe Australian
Lester Munson
Non-Resident Senior FellowUnited States Studies Centre
Dr Peter K. Lee
Non-Resident Fellow, Foreign Policy and Defence ProgramUnited States Studies Centre
