Thu Jun 12 04:27:54 UTC 2025: ## Australia Remains Confident in AUKUS Submarine Deal Despite US Review
**Canberra, Australia** – Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles has reaffirmed the country’s commitment to the AUKUS security pact, despite reports of a review of the deal by the Pentagon under a potential new Trump administration. The AUKUS pact, a trilateral agreement between Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, includes a landmark deal for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
News of the US review surfaced on Thursday, with officials suggesting a reassessment is necessary to align the agreement with a potential future Trump administration’s “America First” agenda. The deal, initially agreed to under the Biden administration, involves Australia receiving highly sensitive nuclear propulsion technology.
Despite the review, Defence Minister Marles remains optimistic. “The meetings that we’ve had with the United States have been very positive in respect of AUKUS,” he stated. He acknowledged that such a review is a normal process for an incoming administration. “There is a plan here. We are sticking to it, and we’re going to deliver it,” he insisted.
The AUKUS pact is strategically important, aiming to counter China’s growing influence in the Pacific region. The agreement outlines a plan for Australia and the UK to collaborate with the US in designing nuclear-class submarines for Australia, with delivery expected in the 2040s. In the interim, Australia has agreed to purchase up to three Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from the US in the 2030s. The US and UK also intend to begin rotational deployments of their submarines out of Australia by 2027.
The deal faces some opposition. Former Trump administration official Elbridge Colby expressed concerns about relinquishing a “crown jewel asset” when the US needs it most. However, other US officials, like Representative Joe Courtney, argue the pact is in the best interest of all three AUKUS nations and the Indo-Pacific region. He warned that abandoning AUKUS would damage US standing with allies and be welcomed by Beijing.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to discuss the AUKUS agreement with Donald Trump next week during the G7 summit in Canada. Australia has already invested heavily in the project, including a $500 million payment earlier this year and plans for a $2 billion investment to accelerate Virginia-class submarine production in the US.
The UK has also downplayed concerns, with an official calling the deal “one of the most strategically important partnerships in decades” that will generate jobs and economic growth across all three nations. The official added it was normal that a new government reviews the approach.
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