Trump aware, supportive of AUKUS pact, US defense secretary says

SYDNEY (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump supported the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal, after Australia on Friday confirmed its first $500 million payment under the defense pact.

"The President is very aware, supportive of AUKUS, recognises the importance of the defense industrial base," Hegseth said in opening remarks of a meeting in Washington with his Australian counterpart Richard Marles, according to a transcript on Saturday.

Under AUKUS, Australia will pay the United States $3 billion to boost the capacity of the U.S. submarine industry, and Washington will sell several Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to Australia in the early 2030s, while Britain and Australia will later build a new AUKUS-class submarine.

Australia transferred the first $500 million payment after a call between Marles and Hegseth on January 29, Marles said on Friday.

When asked, at the meeting with Marles, if the U.S. would deliver the nuclear submarines to Australia on time, Hegseth said: "We sure hope so".

"Part of what President Trump is committed to doing is cutting red tape, investing in the defence industrial base, ensuring that we stand by our allies and partners," he said.

Marles said Australia was "pleased with the progress that we're seeing in terms of the rate of production, both in terms of construction and sustainment," referring to the Virginia-class submarines.

Marles is the first foreign counterpart hosted by Hegseth since his confirmation in the role. The pair is expected to discuss security in the Indo-Pacific region and the growing U.S. military presence in Australia in addition to talks on AUKUS.

Formed in 2021, AUKUS is aimed at addressing shared worries about China's growing power and designed to allow Australia to acquire the nuclear-powered attack submarines and other advanced weapons such as hypersonic missiles.

(Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by Sam Holmes)