Hegseth to meet with Australian counterpart
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is scheduled to meet wiht Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister adn Minister of Defense Richard Marles on Friday, marking Hegseth’s first meeting with a foreign counterpart at the Pentagon.This meeting follows an introductory phone call where Hegseth emphasized the U.S.’s strong commitment to its bilateral alliance with Australia. Marles’ visit is meaningful as it is the first in-person meeting with officials from the Trump administration, as well as a timely possibility to discuss the trilateral AUKUS agreement between the U.S., Australia, and the U.K.,which focuses on maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region,including Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines.
Marles expressed enthusiasm about the meeting, highlighting the enduring partnership between the two nations and their shared interests in promoting security and stability in the Indo-Pacific. He also mentioned that their government would collaborate closely with the Trump administration to enhance economic and security ties. Additionally, Hegseth has prioritized aiding the Department of Homeland Security in securing the southern U.S.border and preventing illegal immigration.
Pete Hegseth to meet with Australian counterpart with focus on Indo-Pacific
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will meet with Australia’s minister of defense, Richard Marles, on Friday, marking Hegseth’s first meeting with a foreign counterpart at The Pentagon.
Marles, who serves as the deputy prime minister and defense minister, will travel to Washington to meet with officials from the Trump administration for the first time in person. The Australian defense ministry has announced the meeting, but the Pentagon has not yet done so.
Hegseth and Marles had an introductory phone call last week during which the former Fox News host conveyed the U.S.’s “enduring commitment,” to the “bilateral alliance with Australia,” according to a senior U.S. defense official.
The Biden-era Pentagon deepened the military’s ties with its allies in the Indo-Pacific to counter China’s more aggressive posture in the region.
The United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom have a trilateral agreement known as AUKUS, which the trio agreed to in 2021 to ensure the Indo-Pacific remains free and open to all. One of the primary parts of the deal is that the U.S. and U.K. help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Australian Navy.
“Following the call last week with Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, I am looking forward to meeting in Washington to discuss our strong and enduring partnership,” Marles said in a statement. “I look forward to reaffirming Australia’s commitment to the Alliance, governed by our shared interests for a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.”
“Our Government will work closely with the Trump Administration to realise the benefits of our strong economic and security partnership for our nations and the region,” Marles added.
On Wednesday, Hegseth hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Pentagon.
President Donald Trump shared a possible plan this week that the U.S. would take over Gaza and forcibly relocate Palestinians to other Arab nations so that the U.S. can lead an international effort to rebuild the enclave. It’s unclear how seriously the president is considering this plan versus the possibility that he’s using it as leverage for a more amenable solution for all sides.
Hegseth and the White House left open the possibility that the U.S. could put troops in Gaza but did not say one way or the other.
Hegseth, in his first days on the job, has said the priority of the Pentagon will be to help the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to secure the southern border and stop illegal immigration and smuggling. The Pentagon has deployed thousands of troops to the border to support that effort.
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