The Grumpy Strategists Trump's edifice complex gets Grumpy, & 2025 strategic & Aussie military takeaways
Dec 22, 2025
The hosts dive into the complexities of Trump’s second-term dynamics and the simmering tensions within the MAGA movement. They reflect on the tragic Bondi massacre and the call for deeper inquiries into gun laws. Moving to military matters, Australia's defence capabilities for 2025, including the introduction of armed drones and strategic foreign partnerships, are examined. The discussions extend to the shifting global order and America's self-harming policies in contrast to China's tactics, all peppered with humor and insight.
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Missile 'Production' Mostly Assembly
- Announced local missile 'production' is largely assembly of US-made components and creates very few direct jobs.
- The hosts view such claims as political framing rather than true sovereign manufacturing capability.
Local Build Slows Delivery Of K9s
- Australia’s K9 howitzer program is slow and illustrates tradeoffs between rapid foreign procurement and local industry setup.
- Poland shows faster delivery by buying from existing South Korean factories rather than building local capacity first.
Cheap Drones Threaten Expensive Platforms
- Drones and autonomous systems are rapidly proliferating and already can threaten high-value assets like submarines and tankers.
- The hosts warn that numbers of cheap autonomous systems can outmatch few expensive platforms.