Canberra and Washington DC have committed to bolster the US’ military presence in Australia following a meeting between Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Defence Minister Richard Marles.
Mr Marles and his Trump administration counterpart discussed defence policy at the Pentagon on Wednesday as they commemorated the 75-year anniversary of the ANZUS Treaty.
The US Department of War said the two nations discussed ways to advance the alliance and strengthen deterrence in the Pacific region.
“Both leaders agreed to accelerate force posture initiatives at Australian bases, bolster cooperation in combined logistics, and build greater interoperability through joint exercises,” a spokesman for the department said.
Secretary Hegseth also reiterated a longstanding plea from the Trump administration for capable allies to invest in their own sovereign security.
The Trump administration has called on its allies, including Australia, to lift their defence spending to at least 3.5 per cent of GDP.
The Albanese government has repeatedly maintained that Canberra will set its own defence budget, not Washington, with Mr Marles greenlighting a marginal increase to 3 per cent of GDP by 2033.
“The Secretary noted the alignment between US and Australian National Defense Strategies and also acknowledged that Canberra recognises the gravity of maintaining a favorable balance of power,” the memo read.
Both Mr Marles and Secretary Hegseth agreed to hasten the development and cooperation of “force posture initiatives” in Australia, which includes joint military exercises.
The US and Australia seek to develop their combined logisitics and increase the interoperability of their militaries.
The memo said the two leaders also discussed progress on defence industrial cooperation to enable shared capacity for guided weapons and next-generation capabilities.
The pair also discuss AUKUS and “advancements” in the nuclear submarine deal.
The recent arrival of US Navy sailors in Western Australia to support the launch of Submarine Rotational Force – West activities in 2027 was also welcomed.
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