Hugh White on what the next PM should tell Trump and defending Australia – without the US

Defence expert Hugh White says Australia should leave AUKUS and plan to "take responsibility for our own security", without relying on the US coming to our aid.Mentioned in this episode:Your support mattersSupport non-profit journalism you can trust. Donations 2025The Making of an AutocratSearch: "The Conversation Weekly" for our new series. Is America watching its democracy unravel in real time? In The Making of an Autocrat from The Conversation, six of the world’s pre-eminant scholars reveal the recipe for authoritarian rule. From capturing a party, to controlling the military, Donald Trump is borrowing from the playbook of strongmen thoughout history. This is the story of how democracies falter — and what might happen next.How Australian Democracy Works'How Australian Democracy Works' edited by Politics Editor Amanda Dunn is out now in all good book stores.