Trump’s Outburst Is a Gift — Ditch AUKUS, Albo

With Trump throwing AUKUS into chaos, it’s time for Australia to walk tall and walk away

Donald Trump is nothing if not erratic. Four months into his second presidency, the orange man is once again proving himself a global wrecking ball — economically, diplomatically, and geopolitically. But his latest outburst — a surprise review of the AUKUS security pact — may be the wake-up call Australia needs.

Trump’s decision to reassess the trilateral deal with Australia and the UK has shaken Canberra’s foreign policy establishment and thrown into doubt the most expensive defence undertaking in Australia’s history. Yet rather than panic, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should seize the moment. Trump’s outburst is not a threat. It’s a gift — a rare opportunity to walk away from a deeply flawed arrangement that’s done more harm than good.

This week, Trump declared that “America is getting ripped off” by its AUKUS partners and hinted that the U.S. may scale back or abandon key commitments. Typical Trump: full of bluster, light on detail. But the consequences are serious. AUKUS was designed to deepen military and technological cooperation between three allies — but Trump has made clear he sees the pact as just another bad deal for America.

It’s classic US foreign policy — loyalty and strategy cast aside on a whim. As Henry Kissinger once said: “To be an enemy of America is dangerous. To be a friend is fatal.”

Australia should take the hint — and the exit.

When AUKUS was unveiled in 2021, it was billed as a landmark agreement to modernise Australia’s submarine fleet and strengthen ties with Washington and London. Four years later, the reality is sobering: Australia is on the hook for up to $368 billion for submarines that may not arrive until the 2040s, if at all. Meanwhile, concerns over sovereignty grow — from dependency on US propulsion systems to restrictions on how Australia can even operate the submarines it’s paying for.

Even more alarming is the strategic cost: AUKUS locks Australia into a future where Canberra’s military choices are shaped — and constrained — by Washington. That includes the very real risk of being dragged into a US-China conflict over Taiwan or another regional flashpoint.

Now Trump’s unpredictability has inadvertently created a window for a strategic reset. If Trump wants to pull back, let him. Australia should take this opportunity to begin an orderly exit. His comments give Albanese political cover to start disentangling Australia from a project that increasingly looks like a national liability.

Critics will argue that walking away from AUKUS will damage the US-Australia alliance or leave the country vulnerable. That’s nonsense. Australia can still maintain close defence ties with the U.S. — through intelligence sharing, joint exercises, and diplomatic dialogue — without being chained to an unwieldy, multi-decade, high-risk nuclear submarine deal.

Albanese’s upcoming visit to the White House will be his first with Trump back in office — and one of the most important diplomatic meetings of his tenure. The stakes are high, not just for AUKUS but for Australia’s global standing.

Trump has a history of humiliating world leaders — from strong-arming NATO allies to berating former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over refugee arrangements. Albanese must not allow himself to be steamrolled. If Trump tries to bully or belittle him, he should channel that old-school Australian bravado: smile, tell Trump to stick it, and walk. Albo must be up to the task.

Australians don’t respect sycophants. They respect strength. Walking out of a meeting with Trump wouldn’t be a failure. It would be an act of leadership.

This review must spark serious reflection. Australia has allowed itself to drift into dangerous dependency on an increasingly erratic superpower. AUKUS has strained relations with key regional partners like Indonesia and Malaysia, alienated Pacific Island nations, and stoked fears of militarisation across the Asia-Pacific.

Paul Keating was right: Australia’s future lies in the Asia-Pacific — not under the shadow of Washington or London. Trump has now shown the world that even America’s closest partnerships are subject to the whims of its politics. There is no excuse left to keep outsourcing our national security to a foreign president.

Australia must pivot to a defence policy that is regional, balanced, and sovereign. That means investing in ties with ASEAN, embracing multilateral diplomacy, and building independent capability — not relying on American submarines or American politics.

Albanese has been handed a rare chance. If he has the courage to take it, he can steer Australia toward a more independent, respected, and self-reliant foreign policy.

It’s time to walk, Albo. And not look back.