Gary Roughead, Marise Payne, Nicholas Carter, and James Mattis
In June, the U.S. Department of Defense announced it would spend the summer conducting a review of AUKUS: the security partnership established in 2021 among Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The review—designed to determine whether the AUKUS agreement is aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump’s priorities—has sparked angst among stakeholders in all three countries. The second Trump administration, after all, has not been shy about revamping Washington’s major partnerships.
It is not unusual for an incoming administration to review major programs and initiatives in its early days, as the Trump administration is now doing with AUKUS. Hopefully, the Pentagon will find that the alliance is more than worth the investment—and perfectly in keeping with Trump’s “America first” agenda. In an unsettled international environment, AUKUS serves each member country’s urgent national security needs and advances shared priorities. It enables a frictionless defense environment among the three countries, and is a stimulus for reforming dated yet compatible defense industrial bases. It can be a model and an incentive for strengthening relations with other allies and special partners. A vibrant AUKUS is a deterrent in the Indo-Pacific and beyond, as relevant in the Arctic and the higher reaches of the North Atlantic as it is in the western Pacific. Moreover, it helps the Australian, British, and U.S. militaries adopt the advanced technologies necessary to win in the future.
AUKUS is often seen in terms of its pillars and programs. But a focus on just its components is too superficial and narrow a perspective. Its significance, like that of all great alliances, is that it formalizes decades of entwined initiatives and enduring interests. At a time when questioning the meaning, value, and obligations of partnerships is in vogue and doubts about the United States’ reliability swirl, AUKUS can show that Washington remains dependable and prove that democratic forms of government, particularly when working together, yield strong economies and military capabilities. It can show that democracies form strong alliances. Washington should thus do more than just recommit to AUKUS. It should revitalize the pact for the decades ahead.
Joining Forces
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