Key Takeaways:
- Many Americans living in Australia are feeling overwhelmed by constant questions about US politics and the country’s current state.
- The US’ image has declined in many countries, including Australia, since Donald Trump’s presidency, with 71% of Australians holding a negative opinion of the US.
- Americans in Australia are struggling to navigate their feelings of guilt, estrangement, and distress as they process seismic political shifts in the US from afar.
- The intense media focus on US politics in Australia is making everyday interactions feel more politically charged for American expats.
- Some Americans are feeling embarrassed to identify as American due to the country’s current reputation and are seeking to distance themselves from the US’ political drama.
Introduction to the Issue
Lauren, an American living in Brisbane, used to speak with an American accent, which would often lead to conversations about US politics while out walking her dogs. However, after hiring a dialect coach and introducing Australian inflections to her speech, she has found it to be "a relief not serving as the unofficial US representative for my postcode." She can now chat about things she actually enjoys discussing, like her pets and local community. This experience is not unique to Lauren, as many Americans living in Australia are feeling overwhelmed by constant questions about US politics and the country’s current state.
The Struggle is Real
SBS News spoke with a dozen Americans living in Australia about navigating life abroad at a time when the US, under Donald Trump’s second presidency, looms particularly large in global conversation and is being viewed far more negatively by Australians than in years past. Almost all of them say they’re continuously fielding questions about what’s going on back home, whether they’re at work, the pub, seeing friends or interacting with strangers. Many of them find it exhausting or difficult to escape at times. For example, Melissa Vincenty, an immigration lawyer and dual citizen, says she sometimes doesn’t even want to open her mouth or fake her Aussie accent because she just wants to get her hair cut without being asked about US politics.
The Emotional Toll
For some Americans, they’re already dealing with complicated feelings of guilt, estrangement, or distress as they process seismic political shifts in the US from afar — while members of their families continue to live there. Having to discuss it routinely with strangers can compound the stress. Jack Cutler, a Sydney-based dual national born in New York, says it’s "incredibly distressing" seeing how unstable things have become in the US. He feels like he always has to answer for everything that’s going on over there, which can be draining. Mallory Fish, a former Connecticut resident now living in Melbourne, says whenever the topic of politics comes up, she "can literally feel [her] blood pressure rising."
The US’ Declining Image
The US’ image has declined in many countries since last year amid low confidence in Trump, according to data from the Washington DC-based Pew Research Center. Of 24 countries surveyed, Sweden recorded the least favourable views: 79% held a negative opinion, up from 44% a year earlier. Australia and Türkiye jointly ranked second at 71%. A majority of Australians — 58% — said they had no confidence at all in Trump as a world leader. Other polls indicate Australians are concerned about the effects of Trump’s presidency on democracy and security. According to a recent survey by the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney, only 16% of Australians think Trump’s second term has been good for Australia so far, while almost 75% are concerned about the future of US democracy.
A Shift in Interactions
Cory Alpert, a PhD researcher at the University of Melbourne, says that sometimes people will talk to him as if he comes from a war-torn country that deserves their pity. He thinks it’s quite telling for how people broadly think about what’s happening in the US. Alpert suspects the "really intense curiosity" comes from people trying to make sense of the overwhelming stream of information reaching them through social and traditional media. He believes that people are trying to understand the US through him, as someone with lived experience of the country. There are around 118,000 US-born people living in Australia, according to 2024 data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics — a comparatively small migrant cohort.
The Media’s Role
The US has long been a dominant source and subject of international news, but its news cycle has been particularly relentless in recent years. Australian news audiences are much less politically polarised than those in the US and more likely to identify with the political centre, the University of Canberra’s 2025 Digital News Report observed. Australians feel investment in US politics because "when Donald Trump says something, that can and does have impacts and implications in Australia," Cory Alpert suggests. Major US flashpoints — including the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the protracted government shutdown and other rolling crises in Washington — have all received prominent attention in Australia.
A Change in Attitudes
Bruce Wolpe, an author and commentator on US politics in Australia, says Trump’s "unique ability to take all the oxygen out of the room" has driven a change in audience appetite and, in turn, the editorial decisions made by major news organisations in Australia. Whether people love or hate Trump, Wolpe says, "everybody is paying attention." Australian interest in the US grew during former president Barack Obama’s term in office, but that has now ballooned into "intense interest" under Trump. However, interest doesn’t equate to endorsement, and the perception that former Liberal leader Peter Dutton was modelling his leadership on Trump’s was a political drag in this year’s Australian federal election.
A Personal Perspective
For American expats, the distance from home can bring a conflicting blend of emotions. Ashley, who lives in regional Victoria, says, "Living in Australia as an American, there’s a mix of gratitude and ache." She’s grateful for the stability, healthcare, and general calm in Australia, but heartbroken by everything that’s happening in the US. Shelby Lynne, who moved from Maryland to Victoria more than a decade ago, says she’s gone from arriving during the Obama era when Aussies swooned over anything America to watching a negative shift once the Trump era began. She feels that it’s been a wild experience seeing how differently people view Americans and the US over the past decade, and it’s a total fall from grace.