
Britain says it understands U.S. need to review AUKUS submarine pact
LONDON, June 12 (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday it understood a decision by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to launch a formal review into the AUKUS submarine pact, repeating London's position that the project was crucial to peace and security.
In 2023, the United States, Australia and Britain unveiled details of the plan to provide Australia with nuclear-powered attack submarines from the early 2030s to counter China's ambitions in the Indo-Pacific.
On Wednesday, a Pentagon official said the administration was reviewing AUKUS to ensure it was "aligned with the President's America First agenda".
Asked about the review, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: "As we've already said it is understandable that a new administration would want to review its approach to such a major partnership."
"AUKUS is a landmark security and defence partnership with two of our closest allies and it's one of the most strategically important partnerships in decades supporting peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic," he told reporters.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

The National
24 minutes ago
- The National
Unionists just don't view the status quo the same way we do
To those that have voted for Labour in Scotland and have never switched to the SNP, as well as Tory, Reform UK and LibDem voters, they don't see England, even politically, as a foreign country. Generally they don't have the burning antipathy that most of us lot have about being governed, and abused, by a much larger neighbouring country. In other words, as we would see it, they just don't bloody get it! READ MORE: SNP's losing strategy for by-election took the electorate for fools Clearly, if there was a totally fair press and media we would definitely get many more of them on board. However, the day we get a totally fair press and media in Scotland and the UK in respect of Scottish independence is the day pigs will be flying past my window and gieing me a knowing wink! Apart from the press, though, there are other factors. Somebody in the know clearly told Nigel Farage not to visit Hamilton, but to head for Larkhall, which let's just say is a place where there is an abundance of fans of Rangers Football Club. I guess we have to admit this was pretty clever as, generally, Rangers fans are not exactly associated with Scottish independence (I reckon that is one of the biggest euphemisms I've used in my life!) OK, so historically, that side of Scottish society has been overwhelmingly in favour of the Union and that can't be ignored. There is another aspect though. Many of us Scots, since time immemorial, have gone doon tae England tae make oor way in the world, for what we think is a better standard of living, and in many cases probably is. READ MORE: A large gulf has now developed between Yessers and the SNP Many don't come back, have bairns who end up having English accents and many of whom probably feel English, but leave behind family in Scotland that are proud as punch that their wee Johnny or Jeannie made good and made the family proud. Something tells me these ties to England won't dispose said family left back in Scotland to independence any time soon! Ye cannae upset the grandbairns! I've only touched on the factors that mean so many folk in oor great country are just totally addicted to being lorded over by the English state (although they don't see it that way, and that is the point!) So how can this mindset be changed? That's above my pay grade I'm afraid! Personally, I'm hauding oot fur oor young folk, far mair disposed tae independence, tae overwhelm Scottish public opinion at some point in the future, and make it happen. I'm almost 65 years old now, so reckon I probably won't witness this in my lifetime. But, hey, when it does, I'll be looking doon fae heaven (hopefully – fingers crossed!) and daeing the biggest fist pump in my life (well, maybe death!). Ivor Telfer Dalgety Bay, Fife SUSAN Forde's timely reminder of the sacrifice made by the 51st to help the Dunkirk evacuation proceed (Letters, June 12) should also remind all Scots (assuming they are the least bit interested) that between 1746 and 1940 the British establishment still held to the view attributed to James Wolfe. Post-Culloden he suggested that Highlanders would make a valuable contribution to British arms, yet if they were sacrificed it would be 'no great mischief'. No surprise, then, that the 51st were ordered to guard the retreat. Jim Butchart via email


The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Trump had warned Israel against Iran airstrikes
President Donald Trump has said the US will help to defend Israel"if needed" after Israeli airstrikes against Iran led to a retaliatory drone attack by Tehran. Bret Baier of Fox News reported that Mr Trump was aware of Israel's raid beforehand but the US was not involved. Mr Trump had advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against the attacks days earlier, according to the Wall Street Journal. Mr Trump said that the goal of the airstrikes was to bring Iran back to the negotiating table regarding its nuclear programme, and warned on Truth Social of severe consequences if a deal is not made. Israel's strikes reportedly killed Iranian military leaders, which it claimed was necessary due to Iran's continued movement to 'weaponise' enriched uranium.


Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Donald Trump's chilling five-word warning to Iran amid 'brutal' Israel attacks
Donald Trump has spoken out on Israel's devastating missile strikes on Iran - and said Tehran 'must make a deal' over halting its controversial nuclear programme 'before there is nothing left' Donald Trump has warned Iran to sign a deal "before it is too late" after Israel unleashed a barrage of devastating missiles on key nuclear targets. In a lengthy new post on Truth Social this morning, the US president claimed he had previously told the government in Tehran to "just do it" and come to an agreement over halting its nuclear programme - or otherwise face a major attack. Last night, Israel launched a major operation that destroyed Iran's main nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz and killed at least two top military officers, marking the most significant attack the country has faced since its 1980s war with Iraq. READ MORE: Israel strikes LIVE: Iran says Israel nuclear site attack is 'declaration of war' The leader of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, General Hossein Salami, was confirmed dead, as was General Mohammad Bagheri. Ayatollah Khamenei said other top military officials and scientists were also killed - and warned that Israel should expect "severe punishment" in response. The foreign secretary meanwhile described it as a "declaration of war". This morning, Iran fired more than 100 drones at Israel, with both Iraq and Jordan confirming they had flown over their airspace. Israeli forces said they had successfully intercepted all of the drones. The strikes came ahead of key talks scheduled between the US and Iran this weekend - and Marco Rubio said that the White House was "not involved" in Israel's operation and said the country had acted "unilaterally". Now, Donald Trump has slammed the Iranian leadership for not agreeing to a deal sooner - and taunted that many of the "hardliners" who had opposed him are now dead. He wrote: "I gave Iran chance after chance to make a deal. I told them, in the strongest of words, to 'just do it,' but no matter how hard they tried, no matter how close they got, they just couldn't get it done. "I told them it would be much worse than anything they know, anticipated, or were told, that the United States makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come - And they know how to use it. Certain Iranian hardliner's spoke bravely, but they didn't know what was about to happen. "They are all DEAD now, and it will only get worse! There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end. "Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire. No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. God Bless You All!"