AUKUS safe amid Pete Hegseth impeachment push, Richard Marles says

Résumé détaillé

Australia’s defence minister has weighed in on efforts to impeach his American counterpart Pete Hegseth.

Efforts to impeach US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth will have no bearing on the $368bn plan to arm Australia with nuclear submarines, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles says.

Mr Hegseth on Wednesday (AEDT) narrowly survived a vote to impeach him over “high crimes and misdemeanours” allegedly committed during the military operations he has overseen, including the Iran conflict.

While the vote – led by a member of his own Republican Party – failed, he is likely to face further attempts to remove him when the next congress starts in January and his Democratic opponents control both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

With AUKUS hinging on the US making good on its commitment to provide Australia with three Virginia-class submarines, Mr Marles was asked what the efforts to remove Mr Hegseth could mean for Australia.

He said it was “fundamentally a matter for the United States” but stressed the Albanese government would work with any US administration.

“We work very closely with the administration of the day, and I have worked very closely with Pete Hegseth,” he told News24, adding that AUKUS is “proceeding at a pace”.

“The USS Colorado, a US Virginia-class submarine, is in Perth right now. I’m heading over there in the next day or so to see it.

“AUKUS is happening, our alliance is happening, and all of that continues unimpeded.”

Holding a rare press conference after the vote against him failed, Mr Hegseth decried it as a “farce”.

Début de l'article, extrait de PerthNow. Pour lire la suite, ouvrez l'article chez le média.