Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles met with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in Washington D.C. on Wednesday to discuss an expansion of the U.S. presence on Australian military bases.
"Both leaders agreed to accelerate force posture initiatives at Australian bases, bolster cooperation in combined logistics, and build greater interoperability through joint exercises," a Pentagon spokesman said.
Hegseth emphasized allies investing more in sovereign security, with the U.S. seeking levels around 3.5% of GDP while Australia targets 3% by 2033 and reports current spending at 2.8%. Marles told reporters that by NATO measurements, Australia's defense spending surpasses most alliance members, trailing only the Nordic and Baltic nations and Poland.
Marles confirmed U.S. force posture in Australia was discussed at the meeting but stopped short of saying whether additional American personnel would be deployed, telling reporters more details would be revealed at this year's Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) talks.
Marles told Hegseth inside the Pentagon that the two countries face a growing strategic threat and that the U.S.-Australia alliance is as important today as it has ever been. He said the partnership — between the two nations — their defense forces and their leaders personally, has taken on renewed significance in an increasingly challenging world.
As global conflicts increase and China expands its naval, missile, air and drone capabilities across the region, Australia continues to bolster its missile strike capacity, deepen strategic alliances and expand its defense force — with a target to increase active personnel by roughly 30% by 2040.
