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8mo ago

Trump Administration Reviews AUKUS Submarine Agreement

Australia has pledged to move forward following the Pentagon’s audit of submarine manufacturing under President Trump’s America First agenda.

Virginia-class fast attack submarine USS Minnesota (SSN-783) off the coast of Western Australia in March. The U.S. is reviewing plans to buy submarines from Australia under a 2023 defence pact.
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The 2021 AUKUS deal joins Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States in a multi-decade effort to balance China's growing military might
US Navy personnel stand a top USS New Hampshire (SSN-778), a Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 29, 2025.

Overview

  • Undersecretary Elbridge Colby is leading a formal review, expected to last about 30 days, to assess AUKUS’s alignment with America First priorities.
  • The review will scrutinise delays in US Virginia-class submarine production that are critical to Australia’s plan to acquire up to five nuclear-powered vessels by the early 2030s.
  • Defence Minister Richard Marles voiced confidence that the trilateral pact will proceed and highlighted its importance for Australia’s long-range maritime deterrence.
  • Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to meet President Trump at the upcoming G7 summit in Canada to discuss AUKUS and defence spending contributions.
  • Valued at A$368 billion over three decades, the pact retains UK backing but has been criticised by China for heightening regional tensions.