Fears Trump could sink US-UK nuclear subs deal after President ordered review into pact intended to secure the Pacific against Chinese aggression
Aukus, as the joint project is known, is intended to secure the Pacific against Chinese aggression and involves multi-billion-pound commitments to build new nuclear-powered submarines.
The Ministry of Defence announced its intention to build up to 12 submarines for Aukus and other operations as part of last week's Strategic Defence Review. But these plans have been thrown into doubt after the US defence department announced a review to ensure Aukus meets the President's 'America First' agenda.
Relations between the US and Australia have soured over tariffs. America has also demanded Australia increase defence spending and wants to sell older submarines to Australia on favourable terms. Another cause for concern is the review is being led by Aukus sceptic Elbridge Colby, who is close to President Trump.
Last night former head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Lord West said: 'Aukus is extremely important for the strategic situation in the Pacific and very important for Britain as a way of us moving into our next generation of submarines.
'The US had had concerns about selling its submarines to Australia, so it is not entirely unexpected that President Trump would want to look at this. Hopefully this can be resolved and we all move on together as part of the alliance.'
The deal is regarded as a pillar of security co-operation. But concerns have been raised in the US over the rate of submarine production and Australia's reluctance to commit to a 'no holds barred' response to a Chinese attack on Taiwan.
The US is committed to selling up to five boats to Australia, vessels which many in the US believe should be retained by the US Navy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Former White House photographer criticizes Trump's decision to move Obama's portrait
Pete Souza, Barack Obama 's official White House photographer, criticized the decision to move Obama's portrait to a less visible area of the White House. Souza described the move as 'pretty petty' and questioned if the motives were 'petty or racist,' suggesting Obama occupies a significant space in Donald Trump 's thoughts. The portraits of three presidents, including Obama, were reportedly moved by White House staff to the top of the Grand Staircase, an area restricted to family, Secret Service, and select staff. Souza highlighted that this action breaks a longstanding tradition where recent presidential portraits are displayed in prominent areas like the Grand Foyer for public viewing. The relocation of Obama's portrait occurs amidst heightened tensions between Donald Trump and Obama, marked by Trump's unsubstantiated accusations.
The Guardian
29 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Trump says Putin faces ‘very severe consequences' if no Ukraine truce agreed
Vladimir Putin will face 'very severe consequences' if he does not agree a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine at his summit with Donald Trump in Alaska, the US president said on Wednesday. Speaking after a call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders, including Britain's Keir Starmer, Trump also suggested he would push for a second summit if his meeting with Putin goes well – this time including his Ukrainian counterpart.
Reuters
29 minutes ago
- Reuters
Bessent vows to finish divestitures that ethics office says are late
WASHINGTON, Aug 12 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Wednesday he was working to divest illiquid personal assets including farmland by year-end after the Office of Government Ethics said he had not met deadlines in the ethics agreement he signed in January. In a letter sent on Monday to Senate Finance Committee Chair Mike Crapo, OGE Deputy Compliance Director Dale Christopher wrote that Bessent "has failed to timely comply with certain terms of the ethics agreement he signed" before taking office in late January. The ethics office said it told Treasury ethics officials to remind Bessent "that it is his personal responsibility to avoid taking any action that could create a real or apparent conflict of interest with regard to his holdings," the letter said. Bessent, a key figure driving President Donald Trump's economic agenda including tariffs, tax cuts and deregulation, signed an ethics agreement in January that pledged he would divest his Key Square Group hedge fund and other assets to avoid conflicts of interest. Many of the divestitures were to be completed by April 28. In a statement issued by the Treasury Department, Bessent said he had completed all but 4% of the asset divestitures required by his ethics agreement. "Much of (that) is farmland, an inherently highly illiquid asset," Bessent said. "As agreed upon with OGE, I am working towards selling the rest of my required divestitures before the end of this year." A U.S. Treasury spokesperson said most of the required divestitures, valued at about $1 billion, were completed before Trump's second-term inauguration on January 20. Bessent took office about a week later. OGE's Christopher on Wednesday said in a subsequent letter to Crapo that Treasury ethics officials told OGE that Bessent was committed to completing the remaining asset divestitures by December 15, including farmland in North Dakota. Christopher said the Treasury officials had explained that the illiquid assets were not readily marketable. Some assets also have restrictions on who can acquire them. Bessent will continue to recuse himself from certain matters affecting the remaining assets, and Treasury's ethics office has set up screening procedures to identify "potentially conflicting matters that would be seen by the Secretary," the letter said.
