https://www.defensenews.com/pentagon...a-and-britain/
Pentagon to review AUKUS submarine deal with Australia and Britain
The Pentagon is reviewing the
AUKUS agreement on sharing nuclear-powered submarine technology with Australia and the United Kingdom — a decision immediately condemned by
congressional Democrats and one that may cause
angst among U.S. allies.
“The Department is reviewing AUKUS as part of ensuring that this initiative of the previous Administration is aligned with the President’s America First agenda,” a Pentagon spokesperson wrote in a statement Wednesday.
The spokesperson did not say who was involved in the effort, when it would conclude or why it was initiated — except to say that the Pentagon was concerned about the readiness of its forces and the U.S. defense industry.
“This review will ensure the initiative meets these common sense, America First criteria,” the statement continued…….
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to Singapore just over a week ago, where he met with his Australian counterpart, Richard Marles, multiple times. In a
major speech on the Trump administration’s Asia policy, Hegseth didn’t mention AUKUS, something Marles dismissed in an interview with Defense News later.
“We’ve spoken extensively about AUKUS — both of our countries, including Secretary Hegseth himself. We don’t feel a need to keep reiterating it on every single occasion,” Marles said, arguing the program was “on track.”
In his March confirmation hearing, Pentagon head of policy Elbridge Colby expressed some hesitancy about AUKUS — in particular,
America’s difficulty increasing its own production of nuclear-powered submarines, which would conceivably make it harder to sell extra boats to Australia……..
A spokesperson for the British embassy, meanwhile, responded to the news with reassurance. “It is understandable that a new administration would want to review its approach to such a major partnership, just as the U.K. did last year.”
Senate Democrats criticized the White House for casting doubt on the future of the AUKUS agreement.
“If this administration is serious about countering the threat from China — like it has said as recently as this morning — then it will work expeditiously with our partners in Australia and the U.K. to strengthen this agreement and ensure we are taking steps to further boost our submarine industrial base,” Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said in a statement. “Anything less would play directly into China’s hand.”
Fellow Senate Armed Services Committee member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said the news that Trump may abandon AUKUS “will be met with cheers in Beijing” and further weaken America’s standing in the world.
“At a moment when we face mounting threats from [China] and Russia, we should be encouraging our partners to raise their defense spending and partnering with them on the latest technologies — not doing the opposite,” she said……