Adam Kozloski, a senior fellow at the U.S.-based Atlantic Council think tank, said that while reports of the partnership’s demise had been exaggerated, there was nonetheless a clear shift in priorities for Washington.
“Every initiative that the Trump administration inherited is being looked at in terms of making sure it fits the ‘America first’ approach which they advocate,” he said.
Since taking office, Trump has turned America’s gaze firmly away from Europe towards the Indo-Pacific, and he now wants to know what meaningful difference his AUKUS partners can make in that effort.
The long trip by U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey and Foreign Secretary David Lammy therefore seems at least partly designed to underscore their willingness to step up, and comes directly before an expected meeting between Trump and Starmer.
In remarks released ahead of the visit, Healey said: “AUKUS is one of Britain’s most important defense partnerships, strengthening global security while driving growth at home.”
On maneuvers
The two countries will sign a new bilateral treaty underpinning their respective submarine programs, while the British Army’s Carrier Strike Group will take part in the largest military exercise Australia has ever hosted, according to the U.K. Ministry of Defense.
