AUSTRALIA/USA
US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, met with Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles at the Pentagon yesterday to discuss key priorities to advance through the US-Australia Alliance.
In a statement, Department of Defense Spokesman, John Ullyot said the leaders discussed shared security concerns in the Indo-Pacific region, accelerating US force posture initiatives in Australia, advancing defense industrial base cooperation on munitions, and key regional partnerships.
The Secretary welcomed Australia’s $500 million contribution under AUKUS to the US Submarine Industrial Base that it provided during the week as a key element of advancing defense industrial collaboration between our two countries and strengthening the bilateral alliance with Australia.
In a separate statement, Deputy Prime Minister Marles said Australia’s Alliance with the United States was fundamental to Australia’s national security and prosperity.
“It was an honour to meet with my counterpart, Pete Hegseth, and to be the first of his defence counterparts around the world to meet with him since he’s taken up the office of the United States Secretary of Defense,” said Mr Marles.
“We talked about how we can further advance what is the most important relationship that we have in terms of both our foreign policy and our national security, including through AUKUS.”
