The nightmare that Australia’s defense minister awoke to earlier this week has been there since Donald Trump was re-elected president of the United States in November.
The US, UK, and Australia were reviewing a historic trilateral pact that would provide the latter with advanced nuclear submarine technology in return for additional assistance in regulating China in the Asia-Pacific region.
Making sure the alleged Aukus contract was “aligned with the president’s America First agenda” was the White House’s stated goal on Thursday.
Washington’s most recent action calls into question their long-standing partnership with Canberra, raising concerns in Australia that, as wars rage around the world, they might lose their best ally.
