Sat, 19th Sept, 2026; Bruce Wolpe Senior Fellow at the United States Studies Centre, US Political Analyst & Author of Trump’s Australia

Joining us live this morning is Bruce Wolpe, Senior Fellow at the United States Studies Centre and one of Australia’s premier analysts on US political dynamics and Washington-Canberra relations. With Prime Minister Anthony Albanese heading to New York and Silicon Valley this week to put AI, Big Tech regulation, and UN diplomacy at the centre of Australia’s economic agenda, Bruce is here to walk us through the geopolitical stakes, the spectre of US trade retaliation, and the latest shifts in Washington. Welcome back to Saturday Magazine, Bruce.

The Big Tech Collision Course: Anthony Albanese is visiting Apple headquarters and addressing the UN General Assembly to tout Australia’s tech regulation agenda—including under-16 social media bans, data centre guidelines, and restrictions on smart glasses in public service workplaces. However, Donald Trump’s political ecosystem is heavily backed by Silicon Valley tech interests who oppose international regulatory intervention.

Tariff Vulnerability & Trade Risks: If Big Tech lobbying turns Trump against Australia’s digital regulations (such as forcing tech platforms to pay local news outlets or imposing strict operational rules on US tech firms), Australia risks getting caught in trade retaliation or targeted tariff threats.

Leader-to-Leader Dynamics (Albanese & Trump): Despite past personal friction and stark political differences, Albanese and Trump maintained functional working relations in previous interactions. Questions remain whether a diplomatic pull-aside or brief meeting in New York is on the cards, or if the diplomatic distance is strategic.

The “War on AI Doomers”: Silicon Valley right-leaning factions and Trump’s orbit are actively pushing back against strict AI regulations and safety frameworks, framing tech oversight as a threat to American dominance and global competitiveness.

US Midterm Momentum Shifts: Recent polling (including The New York Times polling) indicates shifting sentiment and headwinds for Trump’s faction, reflecting growing domestic political volatility in Washington.

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