Republicans have secured control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Congress authorises the budget, they have exclusive power to declare war and regulate foreign commerce and they authorise important foreign policy appointees. Even before the next Congress is sworn in, we are seeing Congress flex their power in considering President-elect Trump’s Cabinet nominees.

What will be the Indo-Pacific priorities for the next Congress? Where might Congress diverge from the White House? Are critical initiatives like AUKUS  at risk of losing congressional support?

Director of Research Jared Mondschein sat down with Research Fellow Tom Corben and Senior Research Associate Alice Nason in mid-November to analyse the new Congress and what it means for the Indo-Pacific.

Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Produced by: Elliott Brennan

Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat