PM confident Trump will back Aukus submarine deal despite US review

Undated handout photo provided by the Ministry of Defence of vanguard class nuclear submarine HMS Vengeance in Gare Loch, after departing HM Naval Base Clyde in Faslane, Scotland, to go on sea trials. Issue date: Monday February 24, 2025.
Aukus involves the three nations building a new generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines and cooperating in other areas of advanced defence technology.

Sir Keir Starmer has said he has "no doubt" that a major trilateral defence deal between the UK, Australia and the US will prove a success, despite the Donald Trump administration carrying out a review of the pact.

Announced in 2021, Aukus involves the three nations building a new generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines and cooperating in other areas of advanced defence technology.

The deal will also see Australia buy three Virginia-class submarines from the US ahead of the new vessels being built.

That provision has led some in Washington, to question the deal on the grounds that the US may need those submarines if it finds itself in a war with China over Taiwan.

Among those sceptical voices is Elbridge Colby, an official at the US defence department who is heading Washington's review of the deal.

However, speaking to reporters ahead of the G7 leaders' summit in Canada, Starmer remained confident that the deal would go ahead as planned.

Keir Starmer in Ottawa, Ontario before the start of the G7 summit. Credit: (Suzanne Plunkett/Pool Photo via AP)

"Aukus is really important. We're fully committed to it," the prime minister said, adding that it is "not unusual for an incoming government to do a review of project like that".

The PM pointed to the UK's own review of the pact, led by Sir Stephen Lovegrove, adding: "I'm 100% committed to it, I’m pretty clear about that."

Trump's “America first” agenda has fuelled fears that the US could pull out, but asked if he was confident the president would end up backing it, Starmer said: "Yeah, I think so.

"It's a really important project, so I don't have any doubt that this will progress."

The deal with the US is said to be in the ‘final stages’ of implementation Credit: Niall Carson/PA

Asked if Britain would be able to contribute to the Washington review, Starmer said it is a matter for the US administration, a spokesperson for the PM said.

Earlier this week, the Liberal Democrats said the US’ decision to launch a review of Aukus had “thrown another grenade into our security partnership”.

The party urged Starmer to meet the Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese to “develop contingency plans” should America withdraw from the partnership.

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Helen Maguire, the party’s defence spokeswoman, said: “Even in the face of an imperial Putin and the rising threat posed by China, this White House simply can’t be relied upon to support our collective defence.“Our national security demands that we ramp up talks with our Commonwealth friends and work to plug the gap that the US is threatening to leave in European and global security.”However, last month, the new US ambassador to London used his first major speech in the job to back Aukus.Warren Stephens told an audience in Parliament that the US was “proud to stand alongside Britain and Australia, two of our closest allies, as we deepen our collaboration to respond to a changing world”.

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