Rephonic
Artwork for USSC Briefing Room
China
AUKUS
Australia
Donald Trump
United States
Economic Security
Trump Administration
Us-Australia Alliance
Ukraine
Russia
Artificial Intelligence
Tariffs
NATO
9/11
Critical Minerals
Indo-Pacific
US Foreign Policy
Supreme Court
Joe Biden
Quad

The USSC Briefing Room is a podcast from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. It gives you a seat at the table for a briefing on the latest US news and foreign policy. Co-hosts Mari Koeck, Jared Mondschein and Samuel Garrett talk to experts to cover what you need to know and what's beneath the surface of the news.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes120Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
News CommentaryNewsPolitics

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for USSC Briefing Room

Latest Episodes

From the war with Iran to the end of the New START Treaty, nuclear issues have made regular headlines in 2026, but less attention has focused on the Indo-Pacific region. Yet amidst an unprecedented growth in China’s nuclear stockpile and increased sa... more

YouTube

As America votes in one of the most significant midterm elections in modern history, USSC Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy David Smith and USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck give you a coast-to-coast guide fo... more

YouTube

Australia’s strategic environment is undergoing a profound shift. China’s rapid military and nuclear expansion is changing the regional balance of power, while the prospect of major-power conflict in the Indo-Pacific appears increasingly plausible. A... more

YouTube

The US midterm elections in just a couple of weeks will be the first real test of how Trump 2.0 is playing out with voters. In the lead up to the election, USSC recorded a special discussion between Dr Larry Sabato, Director of the Center for Politic... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

PEP with Chas and Dr Dave
PEP with Chas and Dr DaveChas Licciardello
The National Security Podcast
The National Security PodcastANU National Security College
Lowy Institute
Lowy InstituteLowy Institute
After America
After AmericaThe Australia Institute

Recent Guests

Stephan Frühling
Professor researching nuclear weapons, Australian defence policy and strategy
Australian National University
Episode: A new nuclear age in the Indo-Pacific?
Maria Rublee
Professor of International Relations specializing in nuclear politics and maritime security
University of Melbourne
Episode: A new nuclear age in the Indo-Pacific?
David Smith
Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy at the United States Studies Centre
United States Studies Centre
Episode: State by state guide to the 2026 US midterm elections
Paul Dibb
Emeritus Professor of strategic studies and former senior Australian defence and intelligence official
Australian National University
Episode: “Strategic collision” with China and how ANZUS must adapt with Paul Dibb
Larry Sabato
Founder and director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia and political analyst
Center for Politics at the University of Virginia
Episode: State of the 2026 midterms with Larry Sabato and Bruce Wolpe
Bruce Wolpe
USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow and former chief of staff to Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard
United States Studies Centre
Episode: State of the 2026 midterms with Larry Sabato and Bruce Wolpe
Doug Beck
Former Director of the Defense Innovation Unit (2023–2025); Navy Reserve Captain; author
U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Innovation Unit
Episode: AI, hypersonics and the future of defence innovation with Doug Beck
Bill Lynn
CEO of Leonardo DRS and former US Deputy Secretary of Defense
Leonardo DRS; former US Department of Defense
Episode: Move fast and break things? Trump’s defence transformation
Peter Dean
Senior Advisor for Defense Strategy at the USSC; Professor of Strategy Studies at the Australian National University
USSC; Australian National University
Episode: AUKUS at five: Full steam ahead?

Host

Mari Koeck
Host introducing topics and guiding the discussion; Director/Engagement at the United States Studies Centre (USSC) at the University of Sydney

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A new nuclear age in the Indo-Pacific?
Q: How is AUKUS impacting nuclear tensions in the region or dynamics between these different nuclear and non-nuclear powers?
Rublee says AUKUS is about nuclear-powered submarines, not Australian nuclear weapons, but argues that the program could indirectly contribute to regional deterrence and military dynamics.
A new nuclear age in the Indo-Pacific?
Q: What sort of trends are we seeing in this region?
Frühling highlights the risk of Russian nuclear escalation linked to the war in Ukraine and the rapid growth of China's nuclear forces, which he connects to deterrence calculations around Taiwan.
State by state guide to the 2026 US midterm elections
Q: What should we be looking for in these redistricted races in Texas?
Smith says Democrats could win two or more of the seats Republicans intended to gain through redistricting. A strong statewide swing could turn districts designed for narrow Republican wins into losses, making the map a potential example of gerrymandering backfiring.
State by state guide to the 2026 US midterm elections
Q: How close do you think these races for House and Senate are likely to be?
Smith says Democrats are likely to win the House, with the size of their majority uncertain. The Senate could be very close, and Democrats may need more than 51 seats to avoid relying on John Fetterman as the deciding vote.
“Strategic collision” with China and how ANZUS must adapt with Paul Dibb
Q: What kind of capabilities do you think we should prioritise if we want to be more self-reliant but stay within the American Alliance?
Dibb says Australia needs to hit hard for its size, with capabilities suited to maritime operations and protecting its regional approaches. He stresses that self-reliance does not mean withdrawing from the alliance.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About USSC Briefing Room

What is USSC Briefing Room about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A wide range of episodes centers on US policy, defense, geopolitics, and transnational collaboration, with frequent deep-dives into strategy, budgets, and technology. Conversations are anchored by experienced hosts from a university-backed policy center and regularly feature senior officials, scholars, and industry experts who bring insider perspectives on defense acquisition, international alliances, and democracy in practice. A standout throughline is the emphasis on real-world implications of policy choices—such as Aukus, foreign military sales, and AI strategy—paired with historical context and cross-country comparisons. The format tends to balance rigorous analysis with accessible storytelling, making it useful for listeners who want b... more

Where can I find podcast stats for USSC Briefing Room?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for USSC Briefing Room. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to USSC Briefing Room and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does USSC Briefing Room get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for USSC Briefing Room, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for USSC Briefing Room?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for USSC Briefing Room, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does USSC Briefing Room have?

To see how many followers or subscribers USSC Briefing Room has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to USSC Briefing Room?

These podcasts share a similar audience with USSC Briefing Room:

1. PEP with Chas and Dr Dave
2. The National Security Podcast
3. Lowy Institute
4. After America
5. Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific?

How many episodes of USSC Briefing Room are there?

USSC Briefing Room launched 3 years ago and published 120 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact USSC Briefing Room?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for USSC Briefing Room?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for USSC Briefing Room from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for USSC Briefing Room?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of USSC Briefing Room. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on USSC Briefing Room?

Recent guests on USSC Briefing Room include:

1. Stephan Frühling
2. Maria Rublee
3. David Smith
4. Paul Dibb
5. Larry Sabato
6. Bruce Wolpe
7. Doug Beck
8. Bill Lynn

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days