John Lyons aka The Lyons Den

Thank you Dean!

The ghost of Jeffrey Epstein haunts the world's most powerful men What do the most powerful man in the world, the wealthiest man in the world, and the most powerful media baron in the world, have in common? Their destinies are all colliding with the ghost of Jeffrey...

What do Trump, Musk & Murdoch have in common? All colliding with the Ghost of Epstein & risking reputational death spiral. A key question now is do Murdochs turn Fox News on Trump. Just as Banquo's Ghost hovered over Macbeth, Epstein haunts Oval Office. My new column: www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Thank you, Bruce!

Thanks Dea.

Netanyahu's agenda is clear, but Trump wants plausible deniability There are many things happening in the Middle East at the moment but beneath them lies one single through-line: Israel is attempting to reshape the political map of the region.

Trump stands back as Israel tries bombing its way to a new neighbourhood… Israel’s real agenda & what role the US is really playing with Iran and Israel. Donald Trump & plausible deniability that the US is not involved. My latest analysis.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...

Thank you, Michael!

Thank you Adrian!

Thank you Simon.

Trump and Musk must hold back or risk mutually assured destruction The US president believes he is a world-class negotiator and deal-maker. He will now have to use the strong negotiating skills he claims to have to reach a ceasefire deal with tech billionaire Elon Mu...

Musk v Trump: These two men can destroy each other. They’re flirting with mutually assured destruction but they now probably will both step back from that precipice. Here are the reasons why. My latest column from Washington DC.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...

Musk vs Republicans leaves Trump to wonder if he's created a monster The anger with Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill" is taking many creative forms of Elon Musk's X account. It's a different story on Trump's Truth Social.

Has Trump created a monster? Musk v Trump. Support for @elonmusk from Fox News viewers will worry Trump who doesn’t want a public split with Musk. He also won’t like a sword-wielding Uma Thurman. Excellent analysis from my ABC colleague in Washington @BradRyan
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06...

Trump (who is currently announcing a travel ban for people from 12 countries)

“All bets are off. Does AUKUS mean anything these days? I'm not sure it means anything to the man who's on the balcony behind me.”

- @johnthelyonsden.bsky.social re Trump’s new decision to increase tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from 25% to 50%.

Thank you, Peter. Your kindness and support is very much appreciated! Regards, John.

From A Balcony Over Jerusalem to A Bunker in Kyiv: huge thanks to the booksellers particularly BookPeople for selecting Balcony Over Jerusalem as one of the best Australian books of last 25 years. Your support for me & other Aussie authors hugely appreciated by us all. Thank you!

Thank you, Andrew!

Fair point - done!

From A Balcony Over Jerusalem to A Bunker in Kyiv: huge thanks to the booksellers particularly BookPeople for selecting Balcony Over Jerusalem as one of the best Australian books of last 25 years. Your support for me & other Aussie authors hugely appreciated by us all. Thank you!

x.com/thelyonsden/...

Fascinating - on Elon Musk

“The BBC recently reported six babies freezing to death because there were no blankets.

“Clearly, anybody but the most hardline supporters of Israel can see that this is a humanitarian crisis of historic proportions.”

- @johnthelyonsden.bsky.social

From A Balcony Over Jerusalem to A Bunker in Kyiv. Looking forward to session this Sun @SydWritersFest with @PeterGreste. I'll be on video from US. We'll discuss Trump's intriguing rel'ship with Putin & the reality in Gaza. "Bunker" tells the story of heroic Ukrainians & why Putin can never conquer.

Thank you "Daryl Maguire's tractor"!

John Lyons: An Evening with the Author Join John Lyons to discuss his new book 'A Bunker in Kyiv' in store at Gertrude & Alice Cafe Bookstore.

For those of you in Sydney: a discussion in Bondi this coming Tuesday evening MC’d by Paul Barry about my new book on Ukraine looking at Putin, Trump & where it goes from here. Please join is if you can
urldefense.com/v3/__https:/...

Thank you Elaine. Very kind!

Trump assumed the US could dictate a new world order. China said no Of all Trump's miscalculations this week, his biggest miscalculation of all may be assuming that China would not hit back, using the economic power that the Chinese Communist Party has been amassing f...

“America’s credibility as an economic ally, strategic partner & global leader is trashed”: Professor Hugh White. The US has performed “one of the greatest acts of self-harm”: Former Australian Ambassador to China Geoff Raby. My latest column. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04...

Trump is the ultimate crash-through politician. Are tariffs his brick wall? Donald Trump says his Liberation Day trade tariff bonanza will bring in a "golden age" for America but the self-confidence and psychology behind them will be tested in coming months, Americas editor J...

Cyclone Trump tariffs the world… The key to understanding the latest move is to understand Trump’s psychology. My new column:
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-04...

Group chat blunder won't help the world's fading faith in America In any other presidency, the story would rock the US: top national security advisers mistakenly adding a journalist to their group chat. But Washington is not what it used to be.

FIVE EYES: Aust & US's other key intel partners were already wrestling with Q's about how much they could trust their old ally. Now 18 top US national security officials plan on a non-secure app a bombing of Yemen. In any other presidency this story would rock the US.

www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03...

'The ball is now in their court': How Zelenskyy may have outwitted Putin After Zelenskyy and Trump's disastrous Oval Office meeting, Russia had a major battlefield advantage. All of that could change.

Now Russia is under the pump. Will it bow to US pressure? Is Trump really a Russia whisperer? Zelenskyy's willingness to sign a temporary ceasefire suggests he's learnt to play Trump's game. Amid White House chaos, is there a master strategy? My new column www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03...

BREAKING: Australia to NOT receive exemption for steel and aluminium exports to US. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt told media Trump "considered it & considered against it... If they want to be exempted they should consider moving steel manufacturing here." Presents a big challenge for PM.

Albo's election plans blown off course || The Party Room - ABC listen As communities on the east coast brace for the impact of Cyclone Alfred, speculation is rife that the storm will force the Prime Minister to delay calling the election. So, is a May election now likel...

www.abc.net.au/listen/progr...

Was Trump loaded for bear? Did Trump & JD Vance ambush Zelensky? Trump’s very 1st comment to Zelensky & the 1st question from a “friendly” journalist suggest they did. Add to that Zelensky’s mishandling & the future of Ukraine is now in jeopardy. My chat to PK & FK

Australia's perceived value to the US changes under Trump Experts say Australia matters less to Trump than it did to Biden which has consequences for vital intelligence-sharing alliance Five Eyes as well as the AUKUS deal.

In the new hard world of Donald Trump, everything is about what a country has to offer. Australia has 2 things the US wants: the Pine Gap spy facility & proximity to China. As Trump upends geopolitics, what happens to 5-Eyes & AUKUS? My new column: www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02...