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Immediate Release

Readout of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's Call With Australia Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles

A Senior Defense Official provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Australia Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles held an introductory call yesterday to discuss key initiatives across the breadth of the U.S.-Australia Alliance. The leaders exchanged views on the strategic environment in the Indo-Pacific region, U.S. force posture priorities with Australia, AUKUS, and defense industrial collaboration, including our cooperation in support of Australia's Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) enterprise. The Secretary conveyed the enduring commitment of the United States to the bilateral alliance with Australia and pledged to remain in close coordination with Deputy Prime Minister Marles.