Trump’s tribute empire will want more than AUKUS

In his latest article for The Australian, Security & Defence PLuS Executive Director Dr Ian Langford, delves into the rising pressures from the Trump administration on Australia’s defence commitments.

With key figures like US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and incoming Deputy Defence Secretary Elbridge Colby calling for Australia to increase its defence spending to 3% of GDP, Langford warns of a new transactional dynamic in US-led security guarantees.

“Australia is now part of a US tribute system, where countries extract benefits from alliances based on their contributions.”

Central to this debate is the future of AUKUS and Australia’s plan to acquire Virginia-class submarines. Langford suggests that securing these submarines might involve more than financial commitments alone: “If Australia is to convince the US that it is in its interests to maintain its commitment to delivering the 3-5 Virginia-class submarines under current AUKUS arrangements, it should expect to pay for far more than just submarines.”

Langford’s analysis underscores a critical shift in Australia’s defence policy; a move towards not only meeting US demands but also building true self-reliant defence capabilities.

“Properly funding defence is no longer merely an option, but a necessity. The upside is Australia will, arguably for the first time, take seriously the notion of its military capability. With this change will come real national power and, when necessary, the ability to generate its own form of self-reliant defence.”

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