Trump's billionaire envoy joins Starmer in show of force for AUKUS
The remarks from the banker-turned-diplomat, who gave at least $US6 million ($9.3 million) to Trump's election campaign, appeared as a clear pitch to those concerned about the pact's future after his return to the White House.
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'This alliance enjoys broad bipartisan support,' the former chief executive of Stephens Inc. said.
'I'm sure that you all are aware that bipartisanship is certainly not always the case in American politics these days. However, it is when it comes to AUKUS.'
Stephens said it was reassuring to see that that same support was reflected in the room – which included Australia's High Commission Stephen Smith and former defence minister Linda Reynolds – adding that AUKUS was 'a partnership built on trust'.
'The United States is proud to stand alongside Britain and Australia, two of our closest allies, as we deepen our collaboration to respond to a changing world,' he said.
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His remarks come at a pivotal moment for the pact. Nearly four years after its dramatic announcement, AUKUS is shifting from high-level co-ordination to complex implementation.
Announced in 2021, Pillar I of the agreement aims to deliver Australia with three nuclear-powered Virginia-class submarines from the US and build five new nuclear-powered attack submarines named SSN-AUKUS. The first of those will arrive in the late 2030s, and Australia's first domestically built sub in the early 2040s.
Pillar II focuses on joint development of advanced defence technologies, including AI and quantum.
While AUKUS aims to strengthen defence ties in the Indo-Pacific, former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has voiced concerns, questioning whether Australia would ever receive a US nuclear-powered submarine.
The US faces challenges in its own naval capabilities, with senior Pentagon officials also questioning the feasibility of the submarine deal, given current shipbuilding limitations.
Starmer, meanwhile, used the moment to double down on defence, announcing the UK's biggest military investment since the Cold War.
'In February, I announced the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War. That will come on stream in 2027 and then up to 3 per cent of GDP in the next Parliament,' he said.
But he said AUKUS was about more than money. 'Alongside the pure money comes the biggest shift in mindset, I think certainly in my lifetime—to see security and defence not just as one priority amongst many, but as the central organising principle of government.'
He pointed to AUKUS's industrial impact, including thousands of jobs already created in Barrow and Derby, and the role of British businesses in building the next generation of nuclear-powered submarines and advanced technology systems.
'This is transformational,' Starmer said. 'An investment in our collective security and a reminder today and every day of the service out there of people who are risking their lives to keep us safe.'
Starmer said he had attempted to demonstrate both by naming former national security adviser Sir Stephen Lovegrove as his special AUKUS representative.
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