Overview

• A US defense official said there was no meeting, describing the interaction as a "happenstance encounter."
• Marles’ office posted images with Vice President JD Vance and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that framed the day as a reaffirmation of partnership.
• He also met Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and a planned Washington press conference was canceled before he returned to Australia without taking questions.
• The trip aimed to discuss the AUKUS submarine program while the Pentagon conducts a review announced in June.
• Reporting highlights doubts about submarine delivery timelines and costs, alongside US calls for Australia to lift defense spending toward 3.5 percent of GDP.