Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2nd-R) accompanied by Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Richard Marles (L), Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong (2nd-L), and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (R), speaks during a news conference at the State Department in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 8, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
The U.S. government has reconfirmed the AUKUS agreement is “full steam ahead” as Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Defence Minister Richard Marles met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington.
In a statement issued on Dec. 9, Wong said the Australia-U.S. Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) had focused on regional stability in the Indo-Pacific, as well as strengthening Australia’s alliance with the U.S. and shoring up national security via economic cooperation.
