AUKUS Submarine Deal Faces Rising Costs and Strategic Doubts

US tariffs, production delays, and political uncertainty in Australia are jeopardizing the trilateral defense pact's timeline and goals.

US tariffs on steel and aluminum, imposed by President Trump, are increasing the cost of building submarines for Australia's AUKUS acquisition plan.
Concerns grow over the US's ability to scale up Virginia-class submarine production, critical to delivering three submarines to Australia by 2032.
Australia faces a looming $2 billion payment deadline in 2025 to help improve US submarine shipyards, with potential requests for additional funding raising financial pressures.
Experts warn that transferring submarines from the US fleet to Australia could weaken American deterrence against China in the Indo-Pacific region.
Political uncertainty in Australia, including public scrutiny over defense spending and upcoming elections, further clouds the pact's stability and execution.