His confirmation hearing focused on the strength and benefits of the US\u2013Australia relationship, and did not address tensions caused by the Iran war and Australia’s reluctance to get involved<\/a>.<\/p>\n But several senators asked Mr Brat about the AUKUS security pact, under which Australia intends to acquire nuclear-powered submarines from the US.<\/p>\n Jeanne Shaheen, the committee’s top Democrat, said the Trump administration’s review of AUKUS last year<\/a> had created unnecessary uncertainty in the alliance.<\/p>\n Referring to the outcome of that review, Mr Brat said:<\/p>\n “The president said, ‘full speed ahead’. I think Bridge [Colby, the defence official who reviewed AUKUS] said, ‘I work for the president, it’s full speed ahead’. And so, I’m full speed ahead.” Jeanne Shaheen says the Trump administration’s AUKUS review has created unnecessary uncertainty. (ABC News: Cameron Schwarz)<\/p>\n Senator Shaheen also raised Mr Brat’s past opposition to ongoing funding for Ukraine’s defence against Russia, and asked:<\/p>\n “Will you work to ensure that Australia’s dollars that have been contributed [to Ukraine’s defence] go toward the intended goal of providing US-made weapons, and not be used for something else?”<\/p>\n “Yes, of course,” Mr Brat said.<\/p>\n “Australia is a sovereign country, they will be our partner, they’ve been our best partner for 100 years \u2026 and I will get security clearances that might help educate me beyond what I know now.”‘Level playing field’ for US business<\/p>\n Mr Brat, an economist whose most recent roles have been at the deeply religious Liberty University in Virginia, has no obvious connections to Australia.<\/p>\n At one point during the hearing, he referred to Adelaide as “Adeline”.<\/p>\n But, in opening remarks that addressed Australians directly, he said he loved “everything about your country” and stressed that he was a “tennis fanatic”.<\/p>\n “I follow your pros, the Open, and of course the game of Prime Minister Albanese. I’m looking forward to sports diplomacy across the board.” The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is expected to confirm the appointment. (ABC News: Cameron Schwarz)<\/p>\n Mr Brat came to political prominence as part of the Republicans’ conservative Tea Party faction.<\/p>\n In 2014, he stunned some in the party by defeating Eric Cantor<\/a>, who was then the Republican leader in the House of Representatives, in a primary election in Virginia. He served in Congress until 2018.<\/p>\n He has long promoted the “deep state” conspiracy theories that are now central to the MAGA movement and have driven Mr Trump’s efforts to reshape parts of the US government and its intelligence arms.<\/p>\n He is also sceptical of free trade and supportive of Mr Trump’s tariffs regime. He told the committee he wanted to “ensure a level playing field for all US companies” in Australia.<\/p>\n He said that would mean “building on” last year’s removal of Australia’s restrictions on American beef<\/a>, which had been a grievance of the Trump administration.<\/p>\n He also flagged “partnering with Australia’s superannuation funds” to “execute on plans to invest in the US”.<\/p>\n Countering China and bolstering islands<\/p>\n Mr Brat said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Mr Trump had “chartered a course to take the alliance to new highs” during their White House talks last October.<\/p>\n “Building on that historic summit, I see opportunities to advance our priorities in three key areas,” he said.<\/p>\n On critical minerals, he pledged to execute a bilateral agreement signed last year<\/a>, and tap into Australian mining and processing expertise to “get that skill base going over here”.<\/p>\n![\"Jeanne](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ea913b60c4834b36b5d18f27735b364f.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n![\"Ambassador](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/9a1358b6ef12b8bc19207901a92a8b31.jpeg\")
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