Where does ‘America first’ leave Australia?
Trump’s America does not care about Australia. The review into AUKUS that has sent the national security apparatus into meltdown is nothing but a shakedown from a bully intent on shaking down the world for his own mercurial interests.
A smart government would take the opportunity to get out. To actually put Australia first. But history tells us that is not the Australian way.
But amid all the breathless “give America what it wants” media coverage ahead of Anthony Albanese’s attendance at the G7, there are a few elements on his side that perhaps could give the Australian government the courage to do what is right.
One is the Australian people, who are growing increasingly concerned with America’s fall into the authoritarian rabbit hole.
Another, is America itself.
At the time of writing, America faces battles on three fronts. One is the Middle East, where Benjamin Netanyahu has wilfully threatened all-out war in the Middle East with his decision to target Tehran. The same very serious people who tell you that Australia should do anything it can to salvage AUKUS will also tell you that Trump is anti-war and has no desire to see the US return to fight in foreign lands.
We could argue the toss of whether or not that has ever been true – Trump and his vice president JD Vance spoke of giving Israel the resources it wanted to “finish the job” (the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza) and in 2017, Trump’s ego almost led the world into a nuclear conflict with North Korea – but it doesn’t matter if Trump wants to commit to Israel’s plan or not.
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Trump failed to rein in Netanyahu. His influence there, or at least the influence he is willing to use (there is always the option of cutting off military aid), is limited, and if Iran responds to the provocation, then America will be dragged into Israel’s war. Regardless, there are plenty of warmongers in Trump’s administration who are gunning for regime change.
Trump isn’t anti-war; he just hates losing. If he’s convinced he can win, he’ll send in American troops in a heartbeat.
Trump has been unable to end the Ukraine-Russia war, as he claimed he would, and Vladimir Putin is intensifying his incursions into Ukraine. With attention diverted to the Middle East, expect Putin to ramp up Russia’s campaign, with the US having already announced it will reduce military aid to Ukraine in its upcoming defence budget.
“This administration takes a very different view of that conflict,” US defence secretary Pete Hegseth (who has been described in Australian media as “colourful” as a synonym for allegations of financial mismanagement, sexual misconduct and alcohol abuse) said on June 10.
“We believe that a negotiated, peaceful settlement is in the best interest of both parties and our nation’s interests, especially with all the competing interests around the globe.”
That came in the same week as Russia launched its largest aerial attack against Ukraine to date.
Then we have the White House sending in the US Marines against its people to try to quash protests against the authoritarian regime that is seeing people rounded up and thrown into cages with no due process.
Contrary to popular belief, being undocumented is not a crime in America. It is a civil offence, and yet America, under Trump, has turbocharged its removal and deportation process, offering no legal recourse, trampling over rights, while continuing to sow racial and xenophobic division.
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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who became famous during the US election campaign for admitting to killing a family pet she believed to be “worthless as a hunting dog”, has openly said the federal government is using its California response as a blueprint for dealing with civil unrest across the country.
Don’t be surprised if Trump decides to delay the midterm elections, using the protests as cover. But make no mistake – this Trump administration needs no excuse. There is no democratic norm it won’t stomp over. Are these the “shared values” Australian governments keep telling us we have in common with the US?
Australia first cannot co-exist with “America first”.
And while the Australian national security apparatus, including surrogates in the media who continue to quote defence lobbyists and consultants like Scott Morrison, Joe Hockey and Richard Spencer as impartial former political and military experts and not advisers to companies that stand to make money from AUKUS and associated defence deals, continue to beat the drum for America, those who put Australia first would be arguing for distance.
The public is already there.
Last month, polling by the Australian Institute found more than half of Australians want the government to pursue a more independent foreign policy over a closer alliance with the US. And yet the media continues to platform conflicted voices who instead want Australia to kowtow to Trump’s latest shakedown and offer “another Pine Gap”.
None of this is new. Global bullies are often greeted with either complacency or condescension, along with a healthy dollop of secret admiration by those who run the world, or want to. But they should be treated seriously.
There is another way, and the US has offered Albanese the cover he needs to take it. Australia is the only partner not reviewing AUKUS. On Friday, crossbench MPs strengthened their calls for the government to launch a review of the agreement.
“AUKUS is a monumental strategic commitment with far-reaching implications for our economy, sovereignty, and security posture, yet it continues to unfold with minimal public transparency and virtually no parliamentary accountability,” independent Curtin MP Kate Chaney said.
“Australians want to understand whether this is the best use of our resources and the right path for our security.”
Australia has the means, relationships and ability to fill the capability gap if it walks away from AUKUS. Countries around the world, including the G7 host nation, Canada, are rethinking their own relationships with the US, and how to better serve their own people. Nothing is stopping Australia from doing the same thing.
The test for Albanese is not whether he can appease Trump. It’s whether he can, as he often claims, actually put Australia’s interests first. Whether he is brave enough to take back Australia’s foreign and security policy from vested interests and have an honest and accountable conversation with the nation he leads. Not in secret, and in haste, which is how AUKUS was conceived, but openly, acknowledging that in the short time since the AUKUS deal was signed, the world – and our major security partner – has fundamentally changed.
America will always look out for America. It’s time for Australia to do the same.
After all, that would be what actual “progressive patriotism” should be about: Soberly standing up for Australia’s national interests on the world stage while avoiding dividing and scapegoating communities at home.
