HOUSTON, June 11 (Xinhua) -- The Pentagon confirmed on Wednesday it has officially launched a review on the AUKUS security deal which was signed by the Joe Biden administration with Britain and Australia in 2021.
"The Department (of Defense) is reviewing AUKUS as part of ensuring that this initiative of the previous Administration is aligned with the President (Donald Trump)'s America First agenda," the Pentagon press office told Xinhua in an email.
"As (Defense) Secretary (Pete) Hegseth has made clear, this means ensuring the highest readiness of our service members, that allies step up fully to do their part for collective defense, and that the defense industrial base is meeting our needs," the email read.
Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, who has voiced scepticism about AUKUS, is leading the review, according to the Financial Times.
Under the trilateral AUKUS alliance, announced in September 2021, Australia can build nuclear-powered submarines with technology provided by the United States and Britain.
The AUKUS deal involves the transfer of up to four tons of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium from the United States and Britain, two nuclear-weapon states, to Australia, a non-nuclear-weapon state. ■
