US and Australia Accelerate Military Presence and AUKUS Cooperation

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met in Washington and at the Pentagon to accelerate military cooperation and advance the AUKUS pact. The leaders agreed to expand US force posture initiatives at Australian bases, bolster combined logistics, and increase interoperability through joint exercises. Marles confirmed that the Submarine Rotational Force-West is on track to establish a permanent US and UK submarine presence in Western Australia by the end of next year, bringing approximately 1,000 US Navy personnel to HMAS Stirling.

During the talks, which marked the 75th anniversary of the ANZUS treaty, Hegseth urged Australia to increase sovereign security investment to ensure capabilities are complementary. Marles defended Australia's current defense spending at 2.8 percent of GDP, calling it the biggest peacetime increase in the nation's history. The leaders also discussed a critical minerals agreement that has unlocked $4 billion in investment and cooperation on guided weapons.

Beyond the Pacific, Marles condemned Iran's restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz as completely unacceptable, while President Donald Trump claimed US control over the waterway. Domestically, the AUKUS strategy faces criticism; Greens senator David Shoebridge called the alignment a gamble that compromises independence, and former naval officer Peter Briggs testified that Australia should have maintained its previous submarine deal with France.