WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement on President Trump’s meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House:
“Australia is a stalwart ally of the United States in the Indo-Pacific and a key bulwark of our collective security and prosperity. A strong U.S.-Australia partnership is also vital to deterring aggression by China in the region. I was glad to see President Trump voice support for AUKUS, which is key to both America’s security and ensuring that the burden of collective defense is shared more broadly among partners and allies.
“The U.S. must also continue to deepen its cooperation with Australia on critical minerals to secure resilient supply chains that reduce our dependence on China and strengthen our industrial base. China’s recent retaliatory steps to President Trump’s unilateral trade war underscore just how important this is. I look forward to seeing the details of the signed critical minerals agreement and how it advances our shared goals.
“The Indo-Pacific is watching whether America stands by its word. Congress will continue working with our allies to ensure that AUKUS and our broader strategic partnerships deliver on their promise of shared security and prosperity.”
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