Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles says Donald Trump backs AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine build

One week on from Donald Trump’s re-election, the Acting Prime Minister has made a bold statement on the future of Adelaide’s nuclear-powered submarine project.

Australia’s $368bn nuclear-powered submarine construction project will be neither scuttled nor delayed by President Donald Trump’s administration, insists Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles.

Speaking in Adelaide on Wednesday morning, Mr Marles said he was confident that Mr Trump’s Republican congressional supporters had been “completely supportive of AUKUS”–- the trinational security pact of which nuclear-powered submarines are the flagship.

Asked by The Advertiser if South Australians should be worried about the Trump administration scuttling or delaying Adelaide construction of AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines, Mr Marles said: “No, and that’s a really clear answer to that question.”

Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles at the Regency Park TAFE campus. Picture: Ben Clark

Mr Marles, the Defence Minister, said: “If you look at where President Trump and his team have been in respect of AUKUS, there has been support.

“I think what South Australians can look forward to is being part of one of the most exciting nation-building activities in our country’s history. This is transforming Australia’s military capability and, therefore, the nation’s fundamental capability.

“But as an industrial undertaking, this rivals Snowy Hydro. This is really one of the great, nation-changing endeavours that we will see in our history. And the epicentre of that is right here in Adelaide.

“It is going to be an incredibly exciting opportunity for the people of Adelaide, particularly the young people.”

Mr Marles was speaking minutes before Mr Trump appointed Fox News host and Afghanistan and Iraq veteran Pete Hegseth to serve as his defence secretary.

Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles meets students at the Regency Park TAFE campus. Picture: Ben Clark

The Acting Prime Minister toured TAFE SA’s Regency Campus, where he announced a key construction deal to kickstart the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine project.

As revealed by The Advertiser, Mr Marles signed a tripartite agreement to start preparatory work at Osborne Naval Shipyard, including recruiting workers and developing build program schedules setting the foundations for the project.

The “collaborative mobilisation agreement” was inked between the federal government, BAE Systems and government-owned ASC, formerly the Australian Submarine Corporation.

Another two training programs for almost 300 South Australians also were announced, as part of moves to create the highly skilled workforce.

ASC and Osborne Naval Shipyard neighbour BAE Systems Australia were in March named as the joint AUKUS submarine builders, with ASC the sole fleet maintainer.

Originally published as Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles says Donald Trump backs AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine build