White House 'reviewing' landmark AUKUS submarine deal with UK and Australia
12 June 2025, 13:57
The Trump administration has launched a review into a multibillion-pound submarine deal the US has with the UK and Australia.
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The AUKUS defence pact, designed to develop a new fleet of nuclear-powered hunter-killer submarines for America’s allies, was signed in 2021 by Joe Biden.
A bid by the West to counter China’s growing military might, the deal will also see a slew of other defence technologies developed for the UK and Australia.
However, Trump’s top Pentagon advisor, Elbridge Colby, has now revealed the White House is reviewing the deal.
"We are reviewing AUKUS as part of ensuring that this initiative of the previous administration is aligned with the President's America First agenda," a US official added.
"Any changes to the administration's approach for AUKUS will be communicated through official channels, when appropriate."
Despite the review, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Thursday he was confident the deal would be fulfilled.
"This is a multi-decade plan. There will be governments that come and go and I think whenever we see a new government, a review of this kind is going to be something which will be undertaken," he told ABC.
AUKUS is central to the UK’s planned military expansion, with it set to deliver at least 12 submarines for the Royal Navy in the coming years.
Earlier this year, US ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens hailed how "vital the US-UK relationship is to our countries and to the world."
A UK government spokesperson told Sky News: "AUKUS is a landmark security and defence partnership with two of our closest allies.
"It is one of the most strategically important partnerships in decades, supporting peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic, while also delivering jobs and economic growth in communities across all three nations."
