It is a promising sign for Australia, which has made moves to shore up the alliance in recent weeks.

Defence policy is one of the few areas where Republican lawmakers have pushed back against the Trump administration, but their resolve is being tested with the Pentagon’s review of AUKUS. So far, they have joined their Democratic colleagues in voicing support for the partnership.

They said the US submarine industry is rebounding with congressional appropriations totaling $US10 billion since 2018 to ensure the US will have enough ships to allow for sales to Australia.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia told the AP that support for AUKUS is strong and bipartisan, “certainly on the Armed Services Committee.”

“There is a little bit of mystification about the analysis done at the Pentagon,” Kaine said, adding that “maybe (what) the analysis will say is: We believe this is a good thing.”

– With Associated Press