As Donald Trump boasts about his newly renovated marble bathroom and its chandelier over the toilet, Australians are growing increasingly concerned and confused about the nation’s $386 billion investment into the AUKUS nuclear-submarine deal.
Wed 5 Nov 2025 22.30
The White House/Flickr
New research released by the Australia Institute shows around one in three Australians aren’t sure whether the agreement is in the nation’s best interests or will make it safer.
“This as a project is huge,” said Angus Blackman while co-hosting the Australia Institute’s After America podcast.
“Something like the most significant transfer of sovereign wealth to another country in Australia’s history.
“I think it should be at least a little bit concerning that less than half of Australians think AUKUS is in Australia’s best interest or makes us safer,” said Dr Emma Shortis, Director of International & Security Affairs at the Australia Institute.
The research asked respondents whether they thought the United States was a reliable or unreliable security ally for Australia.
“Only 16% of respondents thought that the United States was a very reliable security ally,” said Dr Shortis. “So, when you’re handing over $368 billion roughly, I guess you would hope that people would see the nation you’re handing that amount of money to is very reliable.”
More than half (53%) of respondents supported a parliamentary inquiry into the AUKUS security arrangement while 31% were unsure.
Dr Shortis noted there had been a drop in the number of supporters since July but pointed to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s recent meeting with President Trump.
“I suspect that it is a response to this idea that the alliance has been stabilised by the government and that Trump has guaranteed those submarines.
“Importantly for the current government … net support for a parliamentary inquiry is actually higher among those intending to vote Labor at the next election. It sits at 61 per cent.”
In May on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles spoke about “the values that Australia and the United States share, which is democracy and the rule of law”.
“We hear this all the time,” said Dr Shortis. “We wanted to test what Australians think about that under the Trump administration specifically.”
The results were “interesting”.
“So, only 8% strongly agreed with that,” she said.
Overall, 32% of people strongly agreed or agreed, compared to 49% who strongly disagreed or disagreed.
“One of the things I think is interesting is probably the high proportion of people who don’t know or aren’t sure about it,” said co-host Mr Blackman.
Dr Shortis agreed. “These new polling numbers … suggest that people are pretty unsettled by what is happening in the United States.
“So, 19% don’t know or aren’t sure … instinctively I would think that number is pretty high.”
A recent report released by the Steady State, a group of more than 350 former US national security officers, stated “… the U.S. drift towards authoritarianism has accelerated”, as has the “democratic backsliding”.
It also noted, “the Executive Branch is actively weaponizing state institutions to punish perceived opponents and shield allies”.
Only 15% of polling respondents said they believed the United States has become more democratic under President Donald Trump.
“All I’m saying is I want to have a beer with them and work out what’s going on … because I’m not so convinced,” said Mr Blackman.
The polling commissioned by the Australia Institute indicates Australians are turning away from the United States and opting to travel elsewhere.
“Half of Australians in this survey came back and said they would feel unsafe traveling to the United States,” said Dr Shortis.
“I think that’s a direct response to what we’re seeing coming out of the United States.
“Anecdotally, I’ve had so many people ask me, should I go? Am I going to get in? Am I going to be ok?”
“We’ve talked about it with lots of people, even on this show … you’d have to have a really good reason for going and even then, would be a really big risk.”
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