IINA: The Trump Administration’s AUKUS Review: Trajectory and Long-Term Implications

By Tomohiko Satake, Associate Professor, the School of Politics, Economics and Communication (SIPEC), Aoyama Gakuin University

In June 2025, the Financial Times reported that the US Department of Defense had initiated a formal review of AUKUS—the trilateral security partnership between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. The review is being led by Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, a known skeptic of the pact. Shortly after the report, a Pentagon spokesperson confirmed that the reassessment aligns with the Trump administration’s America First doctrine. While initial reports suggested a 30-day timeframe, Colby’s office later announced via a post on X that the process would extend into the autumn.