DOD Secretary Says Trump Is 'Supportive' of AUKUS
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles last week to discuss the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) agreement, under which the countries share defense technology. Hegseth said President Donald Trump is “very familiar with the agreement and equally supportive of it,” according to a Pentagon press release published after the meeting. Hegseth added that “this is not a mission in the Indo-Pacific that America can undertake by itself. It has to [include] robust allies and partners. Technology sharing and subs are a huge part of it."
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The meeting was the latest sign the Trump administration plans to back and build on AUKUS, a deal the Biden administration used to reduce certain export control restrictions for Australia and the U.K. under both the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and the Export Administration Regulations (see 2412040044, 2408160019 and 2410010030). Secretary of State Marco Rubio also expressed support for AUKUS during a meeting with his U.K. counterpart last month (see 2501280018).