DEFENCE POLICY – UNITED STATES

Albanese hits critical mass

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Original article by Geoff Chambers, Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 22-Oct-25

The $US8.5bn ($13bn) critical minerals framework agreement between Australia and the US will result in each country contributing at least US$1bn to critical minerals and rare earths projects over the next six months. They include a gallium project in Western Australia and the Nolans rare earths project in the Northern Territory. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump says the AUKUS alliance will be a "deterrence" to Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific region. Trump contends that AUKUS will not be needed to defend Taiwan, because he does not think China will invade the self-governed territory. Trump has also ruled out reviewing the current tariffs on Australian imports, stating that the nation "pays among the lowest tariffs"; this includes a baseline tariff of 10 per cent and a 50 per cent levy on steel and aluminium products

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UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

AUKUS under threat as Trump launches review

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: Online : 12-Jun-25

The US Department of Defense has confirmed that it will undertake a review of the AUKUS alliance with Australia and the UK. The Pentagon says the review will aim to ensure that the alliance is in the best interests of the US and that it aligns with the ‘America First’ agenda of President Donald Trump. The review is expected to be led by defence official Elbridge Colby, who has been a notable critic of AUKUS in the past; amongst other things, he has previously stated that the alliance’s benefits and viability is "questionable". Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is likely to come under pressure to obtain a firm commitment to AUKUS from Trump if the two leaders meet on the sidelines of the upcoming G7 summit in Canada.

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UNITED STATES. DEPT OF DEFENSE, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

US on track to sell us Virginia-class subs

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Original article by Joe Kelly
The Australian – Page: 5 : 23-Oct-24

Democrats congressional representative Joe Courtney has downplayed suggestions that the US government may adopt an alternative model for the AUKUS alliance. Veteran naval analyst Ronald O’Rourke recently proposed a so-called ‘Plan B’, whereby the US would retain ownership of Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines rather than selling them to Australia. O’Rourke contended that this would allow the federal government to redirect billions of dollars to other defence programs. Courtney says he is not aware of any discussions in Congress regarding the O’Rourke plan, and he contends that the current AUKUS arrangement largely has bipartisan support.

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DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES)

Secret briefings triggered US senators’ dramatic AUKUS intervention

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Original article by Matthew Knott
The Age – Page: Online : 10-Jan-23

It has been disclosed that officials from AUKUS working groups provided confidential briefings in December to US congressional leaders on the process of negotiations to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS treaty. It can be revealed that the briefings prompted Democrats Senator Jack Reed and Republican Senator James Inhofer of the Senate Armed Services Committee to write to President Joe Biden expressing their concerns about the implications of the AUKUS treaty, with the two warning that there should be no sale of transfer of Virginia-class submarines to Australia until the current requirements of the US Navy are fulfilled.

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