When America stopped being great: a conversation with author Nick Bryant

BBC New York Correspondent Nick Bryant has studied US elections for decades and saw the election of President Trump in 2016 as inevitable, rather than a fluke. Growing executive overreach, shifting economic and cultural power, and ubiquitous distrust of media and government paved the way for a disruptor with promises of “greatness.” As a Brit in the United States, his observations translate the American experience through a lens Australian’s can understand.

Who are the power-brokers and pawns in the 2020 election? Will Americans double down or divert away from MAGA? Is the history of President Trump’s rise also a history of America’s fall?

To discuss these issues, the USSC hosted a webinar event featuring Nick Bryant, author of When America Stopped Being Great: A history of the present, in conversation with United States Studies Centre CEO Professor Simon Jackman.

What is USSC Live?

Catch up with events produced by the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney with USSC Live. These events offer new insights and perspectives on topics including American foreign policy, economics, politics and culture.