Donald Trump has been accused of 'throwing a hand grenade' into the transatlantic security alliance by ordering a review of a major nuclear submarine pact between the UK, the US and Australia.
The president has ordered officials to look into Aukus, which was signed by his predecessor Joe Biden and is intended to secure the Pacific against Chinese aggression.
It involves multi-billion-pound commitments to build new nuclear-powered submarines, with the Ministry of Defence already announcing its intention to build up to 12 submarines in last week's Strategic Defence Review.
But these plans have been thrown into doubt after the US defence department announced a probe to ensure Aukus meets the President's 'America First' agenda.
The review is being led by Elbridge Colby, who is close to President Trump and is a long-term sceptic of the agreement.
