US president Donald Trump’s momentary unfamiliarity with the abbreviation Aukus, the trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK, and the US, during a meeting with UK prime minister Keir Starmer seems not to have affected one of its key partners.
When a reporter asked Mr Trump if Aukus was discussed during the meeting, the US president responded: “What does that mean?” before adding that discussions would take place.
Mr Trump and Mr Albanese had previously discussed Aukus and potential tariff exemptions for Australia in a February call.
Spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young argued that Mr Trump had “admit[ted] that he doesn’t even know what AUKUS is” and suggested the president “doesn’t care about it, he can’t be bothered”.
During the press conference at the White House, a British reporter asked Mr Trump: “With the Australians and the Brits, will you be discussing Aukus, sir?”.
