"A stunned world," says James Curran, "will hold its breath" when Donald Trump takes the oath of office this month. Australia included, especially in relation to the US alliance because it "has never seen anything like Trump" and his open distain for global alliances. As the ambiguous title indicates, it is possible to be both an ally and to disagree; more than likely that in the future there will be shared interests and conflict of interest. A pivotal part of this will be Trump's response to the rise of China. Curran's analysis of the alliance runs from the 1960s to the present day and the new intensity with which the alliance was invested under Howard. Consistent with his thesis, he pays close attention to the Hawke/Keating administrations, and a more robust relationship that may well be a model for what is to come.