WASHINGTON, D.C. (WAVY) — Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) is vowing to preserve the trilateral defense deal known as AUKUS, which involves the multi-billion dollar purchase of Virginia class submarines, despite concerns that the incoming Trump administration could change the terms of the agreement.

AUKUS is an agreement in which Australia will purchase as many as five of the state-of-the-art subs built at Huntington Ingalls Industries in Newport News, along with General Dynamics Electric Boat in Connecticut.

The Washington Post reported Friday on concerns among Australian leaders that President-elect Donald Trump could change the deal. In his first term, Trump demanded other countries contribute more to military alliances in general, especially NATO.

Kaine, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and chair of the Sea Power Subcommittee, along with Australia’s ambassador to the U.S. Kevin Rudd, held a joint press conference last year at Huntington Ingalls’ headquarters.

“we continue to work collaboratively with our UK, Australian, and US government customers and with leading defense companies in the U.K. and Australia in support of AUKUS, as a vitally important deal to security in the Pacific,” a company spokesman said Friday afternoon. “We refer you to the incoming administration for its position on it.”

“This is a transformational moment,” Rudd said regarding his country’s security in the increasingly volatile Indo-Pacific region. “Peace and stability do not come easily. They come through hard work, and they come through the courage of our men and women in uniform.”

“In this world the capacity of a nation to develop strong alliances might be the greatest strategic edge that a nation has,” Kaine said.

At the time of the July 2023 press conference, Australian submariners had already begun coming here to train on the subs that are nuclear-powered but conventionally-armed.

In a statement this afternoon to 10 On Your Side, Kaine said:

“The Australia-U.K.-U.S. agreement helps ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific, and I’m glad Australian Prime Minister Albanese and President-Elect Trump discussed its importance during their call earlier this week. China is very worried about this deal because it demonstrates the strength of U.S. partnerships. It also supports important jobs in the defense industrial base throughout the country. I will do everything I can to ensure the agreement stays on track during the next Administration.”

So far, Trump has named his Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, but he will choose his defense secretary in the coming weeks, subject to Senate approval.