Abstract
This paper examines the challenges and future prospects facing the U.S.–Australia alliance following Donald Trump’s return to the White House in 2025, focusing on the implications of his “America First” approach and highly transactional foreign policy orientation. The study finds that Trump 2.0 policies have led to a significant decline in public trust in the U.S. government within Australian society, while also heightening uncertainty surrounding the AUKUS submarine program and the reduction of U.S. foreign assistance, thereby increasing Australia’s strategic pressure in the Pacific region. Nevertheless, public opinion surveys indicate that a majority of Australians continue to strongly support the U.S.–Australia alliance, reflecting its institutionalized foundations and resilience. In the face of China’s increasingly assertive military and strategic behavior in the Indo-Pacific, shared security interests between the United States and Australia remain the central pillar sustaining alliance stability. The article argues that the future deepening of the U.S.–Australia alliance will depend on Australia’s willingness to assume greater defense responsibilities, enhance its autonomous capabilities, and strike a balance between alliance dependence and strategic autonomy.