‘Leverage?': Huge US decision on AUKUS
Donald Trump's defence policy chief, Elbridge Colby, announced the delay on Wednesday morning (AEST) but did not give a firm date.
Instead, Mr Colby, an AUKUS sceptic, said the review would be completed 'in the fall' – much longer than the initial 30 days.
It comes as the Albanese government resists Washington's demand to hike defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP in response to China's rapid military build-up.
Mr Colby's office said the AUKUS review 'will be an empirical and clear-eyed assessment of the initiative's alignment with President Trump's America First approach'.
'As part of this process, the (US Department of Defence) looks forward to continuing regular engagements on this important matter with other parts of the US government, the US Congress, our allies Australia and the United Kingdom and other key stakeholders,' his office said.
'The department anticipates completing the review in the fall.
'Its purpose will be to provide the President and his senior leadership team with a fact-based, rigorous assessment of the initiative.'
Speaking to reporters at Parliament House, the Prime Minister was asked if the delay was 'a cause for concern'. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the US is not using AUKUS as 'leverage'. Martin Ollman / NewsWire Credit: News Corp Australia
'No, it is not surprising that that would be the case and something that we expected something like that,' Mr Albanese said.
'We expected a review from an incoming government just like the Keir Starmer government did (in the UK).
'We expect that those things take longer than just 30 days.'
Asked if it was being used as 'leverage', he simply replied: 'No.'
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