Latest news with #AUKUS
West Australian
9 hours ago
- Business
- West Australian
US, Trump expected to ramp up pressure on Australia to boost defence spending after NATO pledges
The US will continue to put pressure on Australia to boost its defence spending after a pledge from European leaders, a former ambassador says. NATO member nations have agreed to spend five per cent of their economic output on defence, and security more broadly, following demands by US President Donald Trump. The US has called on Australia to massively increase the defence budget by tens of billions of dollars to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product. But Mr Albanese is standing firm and has maintained Australia will decide its spending. Former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said the best strategy for Australia was to engage with the US on extra capabilities that would best complement the two countries' aims for the Indo-Pacific. 'The pressure from the US for allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific to increase defence spending will continue, particularly in the light of commitments made at the recent NATO summit,' he told AAP. Mr Albanese is trying to secure his first face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump, after planned talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit earlier in June were cancelled due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Analyst Andrew Carr said the federal government was very aware the Trump administration represented a more 'vindictive' ally in Washington. 'Access to Australian facilities has often been to the Americans far more important than Australia's own military capabilities,' he said. 'If we're being seen to kind of 'play ball' on a whole range of political intelligence, basing and other areas, then the spending is going to be a small part of that story.' The Pentagon's 30-day review of its nuclear submarine deal with Australia under the AUKUS partnership is under way. Mr Sinodinos said there was strong support for the security pact within the state department and Congress. Defence analysts believe Mr Trump is unlikely to scrap the $368 billion submarine program altogether but might demand a bigger contribution from Australia for the US submarine industrial base. Australia has already made a first $800 million down-payment of a total $4.7 billion for its plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
Perth Now
9 hours ago
- Business
- Perth Now
US pressure on defence ‘will continue', ex-ambassador warns
The US will continue to put pressure on Australia to boost its defence spending after a pledge from European leaders, a former ambassador says. NATO member nations have agreed to spend five per cent of their economic output on defence, and security more broadly, following demands by US President Donald Trump. The US has called on Australia to massively increase the defence budget by tens of billions of dollars to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product. But Mr Albanese is standing firm and has maintained Australia will decide its spending. Former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said the best strategy for Australia was to engage with the US on extra capabilities that would best complement the two countries' aims for the Indo-Pacific. 'The pressure from the US for allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific to increase defence spending will continue, particularly in the light of commitments made at the recent NATO summit,' he told AAP. Mr Albanese is trying to secure his first face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump, after planned talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit earlier in June were cancelled due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Analyst Andrew Carr said the federal government was very aware the Trump administration represented a more 'vindictive' ally in Washington. 'Access to Australian facilities has often been to the Americans far more important than Australia's own military capabilities,' he said. 'If we're being seen to kind of 'play ball' on a whole range of political intelligence, basing and other areas, then the spending is going to be a small part of that story.' The Pentagon's 30-day review of its nuclear submarine deal with Australia under the AUKUS partnership is under way. Mr Sinodinos said there was strong support for the security pact within the state department and Congress. Defence analysts believe Mr Trump is unlikely to scrap the $368 billion submarine program altogether but might demand a bigger contribution from Australia for the US submarine industrial base. Australia has already made a first $800 million down-payment of a total $4.7 billion for its plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
White House's thinly-veiled threat to Albanese over defense spending
Australia should boost its defense spending in line with NATO partners, according to a new diktat from the White House which sets Anthony Albanese on a collision course with Donald Trump , who he is yet to meet. Members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - which Australia is not a part of - agreed to lift their defense spending to 5 percent of GDP over 10 years during a summit in The Hague, the Netherlands, this week. The move was triggered by pressure from the US President who had has long called for European allies to boost their defense spending. It was a win for Trump who had his ego massaged at the meeting of world leaders when Nato Chief Mark Rutte referred to him as 'daddy'. But now the US Commander-in-Chief has indicated he expects his allies in the Asia-Pacific - including Australia - to also increase their defense funding. 'Yeah, look, if our allies in Europe and our NATO allies can do that, I think our allies and our friends in the Asia Pacific region can do it as well,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Friday. Ms Leavitt said she would leave the 'specific relations and discussions' for individual countries to Trump. This means that Albanese may be pressured to increase defense spending if he hopes to secure a carve-out from the punishing tariffs imposed by the US on imports, including a 50 percent levy on steel and aluminum. He will also be hoping to shore up the $368bn AUKUS submarine deal, which is currently under threat from a 30-day review by the Pentagon. But Albanese rebuffed the call to increase defense spending on Friday morning, insisting his government would not deviate from the levels they outlined in the March budget, which aims to reach 2.3 per cent over the next ten years. 'We continue to invest in whatever capabilities Australia needs – we'll continue to do that,' Albanese told reporters. 'My job is to look after Australia's national interest, which includes our defense and security interests, and that's precisely what we are doing.' Spain was the only NATO member not to agree to lift its defense spending above 2.1 percent of GDP, with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez arguing it was 'incompatible with our welfare state and our vision of the world'. This triggered Trump's ire, with the US President vowing to hit Spain with higher tariffs. 'They want a little bit of a free ride, but they'll have to pay it back to us on trade, because I'm not going to let that happen,' Trump said. Albanese's planned meeting with Trump at the G7 summit in Canada failed to eventuate when the US President had to dash back to Washington to deal with the Israel-Iran crisis. Many had expected him to go in Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles place to the NATO summit this week to secure a meeting but instead he stayed in Australian. Marles risked Trump's ire by insisting Australia would not follow NATO members by lifting its defense spending to five percent of GDP. 'Look, obviously, a very significant decision has been made here in relation to European defense spending, and that is fundamentally a matter for NATO,' Marles said. 'We've gone through our own process of assessing our strategic landscape, assessing the threats that exist there, and the kind of defense force we need to build in order to meet those threats, to meet the strategic moment, and then to resource that. Marles did not speak directly with Mr Trump, nor US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, despite intensive efforts by government officials to tee up a first face-to-face meeting of an Australian minister with the US President.
The Advertiser
10 hours ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Australia to feel US squeeze for more defence cash
The US will continue to put pressure on Australia to boost its defence spending after a pledge from European leaders, a former ambassador says. NATO member nations have agreed to spend five per cent of their economic output on defence, and security more broadly, following demands by US President Donald Trump. The US has called on Australia to massively increase the defence budget by tens of billions of dollars to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product. But Anthony Albanese is standing firm and has maintained Australia will decide its spending. Former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said the best strategy for Australia was to engage with the US on extra capabilities that would best complement the two countries' aims for the Indo-Pacific. "The pressure from the US for allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific to increase defence spending will continue, particularly in the light of commitments made at the recent NATO summit," he told AAP. Mr Albanese is trying to secure his first face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump, after planned talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit earlier in June were cancelled due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Analyst Andrew Carr said the federal government was very aware the Trump administration represented a more "vindictive" ally in Washington. "Access to Australian facilities has often been to the Americans far more important than Australia's own military capabilities," he said. "If we're being seen to kind of 'play ball' on a whole range of political intelligence, basing and other areas, then the spending is going to be a small part of that story." The Pentagon's 30-day review of its nuclear submarine deal with Australia under the AUKUS partnership is under way. Mr Sinodinos said there was strong support for the security pact within the state department and Congress. Defence analysts believe Mr Trump is unlikely to scrap the $368 billion submarine program altogether but might demand a bigger contribution from Australia for the US submarine industrial base. Australia has already made a first $800 million down-payment of a total $4.7 billion for its plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. The US will continue to put pressure on Australia to boost its defence spending after a pledge from European leaders, a former ambassador says. NATO member nations have agreed to spend five per cent of their economic output on defence, and security more broadly, following demands by US President Donald Trump. The US has called on Australia to massively increase the defence budget by tens of billions of dollars to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product. But Anthony Albanese is standing firm and has maintained Australia will decide its spending. Former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said the best strategy for Australia was to engage with the US on extra capabilities that would best complement the two countries' aims for the Indo-Pacific. "The pressure from the US for allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific to increase defence spending will continue, particularly in the light of commitments made at the recent NATO summit," he told AAP. Mr Albanese is trying to secure his first face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump, after planned talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit earlier in June were cancelled due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Analyst Andrew Carr said the federal government was very aware the Trump administration represented a more "vindictive" ally in Washington. "Access to Australian facilities has often been to the Americans far more important than Australia's own military capabilities," he said. "If we're being seen to kind of 'play ball' on a whole range of political intelligence, basing and other areas, then the spending is going to be a small part of that story." The Pentagon's 30-day review of its nuclear submarine deal with Australia under the AUKUS partnership is under way. Mr Sinodinos said there was strong support for the security pact within the state department and Congress. Defence analysts believe Mr Trump is unlikely to scrap the $368 billion submarine program altogether but might demand a bigger contribution from Australia for the US submarine industrial base. Australia has already made a first $800 million down-payment of a total $4.7 billion for its plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. The US will continue to put pressure on Australia to boost its defence spending after a pledge from European leaders, a former ambassador says. NATO member nations have agreed to spend five per cent of their economic output on defence, and security more broadly, following demands by US President Donald Trump. The US has called on Australia to massively increase the defence budget by tens of billions of dollars to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product. But Anthony Albanese is standing firm and has maintained Australia will decide its spending. Former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said the best strategy for Australia was to engage with the US on extra capabilities that would best complement the two countries' aims for the Indo-Pacific. "The pressure from the US for allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific to increase defence spending will continue, particularly in the light of commitments made at the recent NATO summit," he told AAP. Mr Albanese is trying to secure his first face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump, after planned talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit earlier in June were cancelled due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Analyst Andrew Carr said the federal government was very aware the Trump administration represented a more "vindictive" ally in Washington. "Access to Australian facilities has often been to the Americans far more important than Australia's own military capabilities," he said. "If we're being seen to kind of 'play ball' on a whole range of political intelligence, basing and other areas, then the spending is going to be a small part of that story." The Pentagon's 30-day review of its nuclear submarine deal with Australia under the AUKUS partnership is under way. Mr Sinodinos said there was strong support for the security pact within the state department and Congress. Defence analysts believe Mr Trump is unlikely to scrap the $368 billion submarine program altogether but might demand a bigger contribution from Australia for the US submarine industrial base. Australia has already made a first $800 million down-payment of a total $4.7 billion for its plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines. The US will continue to put pressure on Australia to boost its defence spending after a pledge from European leaders, a former ambassador says. NATO member nations have agreed to spend five per cent of their economic output on defence, and security more broadly, following demands by US President Donald Trump. The US has called on Australia to massively increase the defence budget by tens of billions of dollars to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product. But Anthony Albanese is standing firm and has maintained Australia will decide its spending. Former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said the best strategy for Australia was to engage with the US on extra capabilities that would best complement the two countries' aims for the Indo-Pacific. "The pressure from the US for allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific to increase defence spending will continue, particularly in the light of commitments made at the recent NATO summit," he told AAP. Mr Albanese is trying to secure his first face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump, after planned talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit earlier in June were cancelled due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Analyst Andrew Carr said the federal government was very aware the Trump administration represented a more "vindictive" ally in Washington. "Access to Australian facilities has often been to the Americans far more important than Australia's own military capabilities," he said. "If we're being seen to kind of 'play ball' on a whole range of political intelligence, basing and other areas, then the spending is going to be a small part of that story." The Pentagon's 30-day review of its nuclear submarine deal with Australia under the AUKUS partnership is under way. Mr Sinodinos said there was strong support for the security pact within the state department and Congress. Defence analysts believe Mr Trump is unlikely to scrap the $368 billion submarine program altogether but might demand a bigger contribution from Australia for the US submarine industrial base. Australia has already made a first $800 million down-payment of a total $4.7 billion for its plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
Perth Now
13 hours ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Australia to feel US squeeze for more defence cash
The US will continue to put pressure on Australia to boost its defence spending after a pledge from European leaders, a former ambassador says. NATO member nations have agreed to spend five per cent of their economic output on defence, and security more broadly, following demands by US President Donald Trump. The US has called on Australia to massively increase the defence budget by tens of billions of dollars to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product. But Anthony Albanese is standing firm and has maintained Australia will decide its spending. Former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said the best strategy for Australia was to engage with the US on extra capabilities that would best complement the two countries' aims for the Indo-Pacific. "The pressure from the US for allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific to increase defence spending will continue, particularly in the light of commitments made at the recent NATO summit," he told AAP. Mr Albanese is trying to secure his first face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump, after planned talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit earlier in June were cancelled due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran. Analyst Andrew Carr said the federal government was very aware the Trump administration represented a more "vindictive" ally in Washington. "Access to Australian facilities has often been to the Americans far more important than Australia's own military capabilities," he said. "If we're being seen to kind of 'play ball' on a whole range of political intelligence, basing and other areas, then the spending is going to be a small part of that story." The Pentagon's 30-day review of its nuclear submarine deal with Australia under the AUKUS partnership is under way. Mr Sinodinos said there was strong support for the security pact within the state department and Congress. Defence analysts believe Mr Trump is unlikely to scrap the $368 billion submarine program altogether but might demand a bigger contribution from Australia for the US submarine industrial base. Australia has already made a first $800 million down-payment of a total $4.7 billion for its plan to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
