The Trump Presidency Offers a Warning for Australia's Democracy

With the shifting dynamics in the US under the Trump presidency, Australia faces some tough questions about its foreign policy and defense strategy. The familiar notion that "America always has our back" is starting to look less reliable, and the big question now is whether Australia should continue aligning with the US, particularly with the direction Donald Trump’s version of democracy seems to be heading.

While Europe’s situation is more urgent, Australia’s concerns lie mainly in our relationship with China and whether the US would come to our aid if tensions escalate in the Asia-Pacific region. Unlike Europe, which has its own significant defense capabilities, Australia would be in a far more precarious position if China were to increase its aggression.

The Trump presidency isn’t just a shift in foreign policy; it’s part of a broader overhaul of America’s internal systems. Trump, along with figures like Elon Musk, has been undermining or taking control of major government institutions, challenging long-standing democratic norms. This revolution, as some see it, isn't just about changing policy—it’s about changing the very structure of governance.

At the core of this is the question of what happens when a president’s will, supported by a large portion of the population, challenges the independent checks on power, like the judiciary and bureaucracy. Trump’s confrontations with these institutions, along with Musk’s comments about the “unelected bureaucracy” being opposed to the people’s will, signal a shift that could have lasting consequences for the US.

In Australia, we have a far more robust system of checks and balances, where attempts to consolidate power by one figure or group would likely face swift opposition. If Peter Dutton or any other Australian leader tried to pull the kind of moves Trump and Musk are making, it’s safe to say they wouldn’t last long.

So, while Australia’s democracy appears stable, the challenges facing the US might offer us a warning. The world’s largest democracy isn’t as invincible as we once thought, and the future of its relationship with Australia might look quite different as the years go on.