Ottawa, June 17, 2025 – The Europe Today: Despite an ongoing review by the U.S. Department of Defense, former U.S. President Donald Trump and newly elected British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have jointly reaffirmed their commitment to the AUKUS submarine pact, a multi-billion dollar trilateral defense agreement involving the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Speaking during a joint press appearance at the G7 Summit in Canada, Prime Minister Starmer declared that the two nations are “proceeding with” the AUKUS agreement, with Trump expressing agreement. “We’re very long-time partners and allies and friends,” Trump said, adding that he and Starmer had “become friends in a short period of time,” despite differing political ideologies. “He’s slightly more liberal than I am. But for some reason we get along,” he remarked.
The AUKUS agreement, originally signed in 2021 under the Biden administration, is a landmark security partnership aimed at countering China’s growing maritime influence in the Indo-Pacific region. It includes the transfer of advanced nuclear submarine technology from the U.S. to Australia and the UK. Under the initial terms, the U.S. is expected to sell Australia three Virginia-class submarines within the next decade, followed by the joint development of new-generation AUKUS submarines.
Recent reports had raised concerns in London and Canberra after the U.S. Department of Defense initiated a review of the pact, reportedly due to concerns over America’s industrial capacity to meet its commitments without compromising its own naval readiness. Some within Trump’s circle have echoed these concerns, questioning whether the U.S. submarine manufacturing base can support the deal in its current form.
Despite this, both leaders stressed the importance of the agreement. “It’s a really important deal to both of us,” Starmer emphasized. “I think the person who’s doing a review — we did a review when we came into government — so that makes good sense to me,” he added, referencing his own administration’s earlier evaluation of the pact, which involved former UK National Security Adviser Stephen Lovegrove.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also publicly voiced his support for AUKUS, further signaling bipartisan backing for the deal despite logistical and industrial concerns.
While Trump and Starmer’s joint statement sends a strong message of intent, questions remain as to whether the original terms of the agreement will be maintained or adjusted following the Pentagon’s review. The final outcome may depend on how the U.S. addresses production constraints and balances its own defense needs with its commitments to allies.
