Democrat Senator Says Trump Team Making ‘Big Jumps’ on AUKUS Pact

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) has expressed confidence that the AUKUS defence pact will progress as planned under the Trump administration, contrary to concerns raised by some political observers.

AUKUS is a major tri-nation defence pact between Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom to develop nuclear-powered submarines for Australia to boost security in the Indo-Pacific.

Kaine, speaking in Adelaide, South Australia at the Osborne Naval Shipyard alongside Premier Peter Malinauskas, praised the AUKUS team at the Pentagon while assuring the Australian public of the Trump administration’s intentions.

“I’m a Democrat, and I don’t agree with everything that President [Donald] Trump is up to, but he’s put the right people into the leadership of this in the Pentagon, who come at it from somewhat of a different perspective where they are not just looking at incremental improvements [at] 2 or 3 percent a year,” Kaine said.

“They are looking at big jumps ahead, and I feel confident in the team that we have in place working on this,” the senator told reporters on Feb. 16.

Osborne is set for a$30 billion expansion to make it the major Australian site for the building and assembling of the newly designed AUKUS submarines. 

When asked if he had fears President Trump may “cool off” on backing AUKUS, Kaine said: “I do not.”

“I have a little knowledge that I can’t completely get into about the President’s budget submissions coming up,” he added.

“And I believe you are going to see action both in the defence bill, but also in the appropriations coming up soon that will show clearly where the president’s attentions lie.”

The AUKUS security pact was announced in Sept. 2021, by former Prime Minister Scott Morrison, former U.S. President Joe Biden, and then UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

As part of the deal, Australia aims to obtain eight nuclear submarines by the 2050s.

However, concerns remain that the agreement may struggle amid construction bottlenecks, timeframes, and shifting political winds.

Strong Bipartisan Backing for AUKUS

Kaine, however, said there was strong bipartisan backing in both Australia and the United States.

“It’s not just presidential level support, AUKUS has huge support in congress, Democrats and Republican, House and Senate, and I’ve heard the same thing here as I’ve interacted with federal and state leaders and parliamentarians, that this is an initiative embraced across traditional political lines,” Kaine said.

The U.S. senator also stood by the U.S.-Australia relationship.

“If I’m talking to our diplomats, if I’m talking to our defence leadership, if I’m talking to our industrial base, they say this—we have no better partner than Australia … in military cooperation, no better partner than Australia in diplomacy,” he said.

$27 Million to Train AUKUS Submarine Workers

On the same day, Malinauskas pledged $27 million in extra funding to train AUKUS submarine workers.

“We have already taken significant strides to begin this work. Now, we must put the pedal to the metal,” he said.

“That is why we are making a $27 million investment to deliver hundreds of new apprentices and university scholarships in high-tech, high wage careers. We will also help South Australians retrain to take part in AUKUS.”

It comes after the Albanese Labor government on Feb. 15 pledged a $3.9 billion down payment on the $30 billion construction yard cost.

State Opposition Supports AUKUS

Meanwhile, state Opposition Leader Ashton Hurn described AUKUS as a lifetime opportunity.

“There is no doubt in my mind that AUKUS is a project that is going to set up the South Australian economy for generations to come,” she told reporters.

“And the opportunities that will flow from it, to South Australian businesses, and to people who are wanting to get their foot in the door on a whole host of different trades, just can’t be understated,” she said.