This section includes documents of American statements on AUKUS, with sourcing from the Department of Defense, Department of State, Office of the President, and both chambers of Congress. Within these documents, American officials outline the American position on AUKUS in regard to trilateral cooperation, regional interaction, and its success. Many of these statements include dialogue from leaders of AUKUS partners, reflecting the collaborative efforts of AUKUS partners to achieve goals like those laid out in the Optimal Pathway.
Statements from American officials track all aspects of AUKUS integration into existing American institutions of defense and foreign policy. This includes statements reflecting on the inception of AUKUS and its relevance to regional stability, in addition to those discussing how these goals will be realized – from budget allocation to increased American port visits to Australia.
The section also includes landmark strategic and budget documents that have direct implications on AUKUS, such as the National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, passed in December 2023, which included several key AUKUS-enabling provisions.36
36 “Passage of Priority AUKUS Submarine and Export Control Exemption Legislation by the United States Congress,” Australian Ministry of Defence, December 15, 2023, https://www.minister.defence.gov.au/media-releases/2023-12-15/passage-priority-aukus-submarine-and-export-control-exemption-legislation-united-states-congress.