Australia needs to defend itself Albanese says amid Trump policy volatility

CANBERRA - Australia needs to defend itself, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday when asked whether Donald Trumps return as president of the United States meant Australia should review its defence strategy.

Australia deepened its long-standing military alliance with the United States under Trumps predecessor Joe Biden, including through the AUKUS agreement, a four-decade defence project to buy and build nuclear-powered submarines.

AUKUS is supported by both major Australian political parties and Albanese said on Wednesday it wouldnt be up for negotiation if Saturdays election resulted in a minority government.

Trumps hefty tariffs and volatile diplomacy, including upending U.S. policy towards Russias war in Ukraine, has sparked debate over whether Australia should increase defence spending to increase self-reliance.

Asked after delivering a speech at the National Press Club in Canberra if change was needed, Albanese said Australia was building its independent defence capability, including through the establishment of domestic missile production.

We need to defend ourselves, he said, referring to John Curtin, a Labor prime minister during World War Two who he said understood that kowtowing to the UK ... wasnt going to defend Australia.

Curtin rejected a British strategy to deploy Australian troops in Southeast Asia and demanded that they defend New Guinea and Australia.

People (at the time) thought they needed the national interest defended, Albanese said. It was Labor who did it then and it is Labor that will do it now.

Australia holds a national election on May 3 that polls predict will give Albaneses Labor party a majority or near majority.

Trump has loomed over the campaign, with voters unnerved by U.S. politics since he regained the White House and switching support away from Australias conservative opposition.

Labor has said it is spending A$50 billion ($32 billion) more over a decade on defence, in