The US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, said Donald Trump supports the Aukus nuclear submarine deal, after Australia on Friday confirmed its first $800m (US$500m) payment under the defence pact.
“The president is very aware, supportive of Aukus, recognises the importance of the defence industrial base,” Hegseth said in opening remarks at a meeting in Washington with the Australian defence minister, Richard Marles, according to a transcript.
Under Aukus, Australia will pay the US $4.78bn to boost the capacity of the US submarine industry, and Washington will sell several Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia in the early 2030s, while Britain and Australia will later build a new Aukus-class submarine.
Australia transferred the first $800m payment after a call between Marles and Hegseth on 29 January, Marles said on Friday.
When asked at the meeting with Marles if the US would deliver the nuclear submarines to Australia on time, Hegseth said: “We sure hope so.
“Part of what president Trump is committed to doing is cutting red tape, investing in the defence industrial base, ensuring that we stand by our allies and partners,” he said.
Marles said Australia was “pleased with the progress that we’re seeing in terms of the rate of production, both in terms of construction and sustainment,” referring to the Virginia-class submarines.
Marles is the first foreign counterpart hosted by Hegseth since his confirmation in the role. The pair is expected to discuss security in the Indo-Pacific region and the growing US military presence in Australia in addition to talks on Aukus.
Formed in 2021, Aukus is aimed at addressing shared worries about China’s growing power and is designed to allow Australia to acquire the nuclear-powered attack submarines and other advanced weapons, such as hypersonic missiles.