Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s diplomatic efforts to secure a verbal commitment from former President Donald Trump have been lauded as a success. However, this development raises important questions about the future of our national military capabilities.

In a rather emphatic statement, Trump assured the Prime Minister, “There shouldn’t be any more clarifications because we’re just going full steam ahead with building.”

Highlighting the prowess of American military technology, Trump boasted, “We have the best submarines anywhere in the world and we’re building a few more, under construction.”

He elaborated further, saying, “Now we’re starting, we have it all set. Anthony and I have worked on this long and hard, and we’re beginning that process right now. I think it’s really moving along rapidly and very well.”

Echoing a sense of certainty, Reynolds remarked, “All I’ve heard is Trump saying, no, AUKUS is going to go ahead full speed. Well, why shouldn’t it?”

“These submarines are Virginia class. There is no technology transfer. We’re spending billions.

“They’ve got a base in Western Australia, which we’re largely funding. They’re rotating their submarines, and they’ve got us locked into an American strategy with respect to China.

Australia has already forked out $1.5 billion in the AUKUS pact, with another $1.5 billion to go in 2025, to acquire nuclear-powered but conventionally armed submarines.

A fresh Pentagon promise of a ghost fleet has given some much-needed fuel to a spluttering fire.

But Reynolds said the bigger question the Australian government needs to answer is how US-led submarines can fit into our long-term defence strategy.

“I think there are legitimate questions about not only the affordability, but the capability,” Reynolds said.

“Are these submarines the right answer? The question would be, well, where’s [our] sovereign capability if the Americans decide to go on the attack?

“I think that needs to be investigated.”

The next crucial step should be clearly defining Australia’s role once the submarines are delivered in the early 2030s, Reynolds said.

Particularly, he warned, with our strategy on China.

“Most people in the defence industries here, they’re still scratching their heads about, well, what’s our role?” Reynolds added.

“If there is a war with China, if, are we in a position to utilise our submarines?

“If we’ve got American equipment, we are under American command.”

Back in Canberra, Richard Marles was noticeably excited by Trump’s assurance.

If he still had any doubts – the defence minister hid them well.

“You can touch, feel and see AUKUS occurring. AUKUS is happening,” Marles said in Adelaide on Tuesday.

“The remarks from President Trump last night are certainly the words that we’ve been looking for and affirmation from the Trump administration of their enthusiasm for the AUKUS endeavour.”