Don Watson joins us to discuss Trump’s beyond-bizarre cabinet selections, Joe Biden’s tainted legacy, and what this might all mean for Australia on the final episode of After America for 2024.

Author and former speechwriter Don Watson joins Dr Emma Shortis on After America to discuss what Trump’s re-emergence reveals about the United States and how Australia might respond differently to a second Trump administration.

This discussion was recorded on Monday 9 December 2024 and things may have changed since recording.

Order What's the Big Idea? 32 Big Ideas for a Better Australia now, via the Australia Institute website.

Guest: Don Watson, author of ‘High Noon: Trump, Harris and America on the Brink’

Host: Emma Shortis, Director, International & Security Affairs, the Australia Institute // @EmmaShortis

Show notes:

Donald Trump’s Meet the Press interview (December 2024)

‘High Noon: Trump, Harris and America on the Brink’ by Don Watson, Quarterly Essay (September 2024)

‘The Second Coming’ by Fintan O’Toole, NY Review of Books (December 2024)

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].

Support After America & the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/3QRFNjB

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.