When then-Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott spoke to a Heritage audience in 2012, he summed the relationship up as “more than allies.” “We’re family,” he said. Family understand one another like no one else can. Indeed, that day, Mr. Abbott proved a keen observer of American politics and history. So, more than a year and a half into the Trump Administration, how does he see President Trump’s foreign, defense and trade policies? How do they align with Australia’s and how does he see the future of the U.S.-Australia alliance? These are among the many questions we hope to answer when the former Prime Minister addresses Heritage on the topic, Taking Trump Seriously.

Tony Abbott served as the 28^th Prime Minister of Australia, in office from September 2013 to September 2015. He was Leader of the Liberal Party from 2009 to 2015. Between 1996 and 2007, he was successively Parliamentary Secretary, Minister, Cabinet Minister and Leader of the House of Representatives in the Howard government. Abbott has been a Member of Parliament since 1994, representing Warringah in New South Wales. Prior to entering Parliament, he was a journalist with The Australian, a senior adviser to Opposition Leader John Hewson, and Director of Australians for Constitutional Monarchy. He earned degrees in economics and law from Sydney University and a Master of Arts in politics and philosophy from Oxford which he attended as a Rhodes Scholar.