On 3 March the US Congressional research Service released an updated ‘In Focus’ report on AUKUS and Indo-Pacific Security. It stated:
In 2021, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States announced a trilateral security partnership intended to “deepen diplomatic, security, and defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.” Some experts and Members of Congress describe the partnership, known as AUKUS, as a response to the growing military capabilities of the People’s Republic of China (PRC, or China) and what one Senator described in a press statement as the “urgent challenge China poses.” US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has indicated that the Trump Administration plans to continue US support for AUKUS.