HOUSTON / CANBERRA - The Pentagon confirmed on Wednesday it has officially launched a review on the AUKUS security deal which was signed by the Joe Biden administration with Britain and Australia in 2021.

"The Department (of Defense) is reviewing AUKUS as part of ensuring that this initiative of the previous Administration is aligned with the President (Donald Trump)'s America First agenda," the Pentagon press office told Xinhua in an email.

ALSO READ: Pentagon: US to cut military budget for Ukraine next year

"As (Defense) Secretary (Pete) Hegseth has made clear, this means ensuring the highest readiness of our service members, that allies step up fully to do their part for collective defense, and that the defense industrial base is meeting our needs," the email read.

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, who has voiced scepticism about AUKUS, is leading the review, according to the Financial Times.

Under the trilateral AUKUS alliance, announced in September 2021, Australia can build nuclear-powered submarines with technology provided by the United States and Britain.

The AUKUS deal involves the transfer of up to four tons of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium from the United States and Britain, two nuclear-weapon states, to Australia, a non-nuclear-weapon state.

Australia

Meanwhile, the Australian government said on Thursday that it remains committed to the AUKUS security deal despite the US launching a review of the pact.

Australian Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said that it was "natural" for the Trump administration to review the pact.

READ MORE: Pentagon to launch new review of Afghanistan withdrawal

"We are committed to AUKUS and we look forward to working closely with the US on the review," he said in a statement.

Speaking later on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio, Marles said that he is "very confident" that Australia will receive submarines under the security pact, which was signed in 2021.

Marles earlier in June met with Hegseth in Singapore where Hegseth asked for Australia to lift defense spending to 3.5 percent of gross domestic product as soon as possible.

READ MORE: Pentagon: US to halve its troops in Syria

Albanese brushed off the request and said in a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra on Tuesday that defense spending would only be decided by Australia.

Albanese is expected to meet with Trump on the sidelines of the upcoming G7 summit in Canada.