The man behind a review into the AUKUS deal said the US was “optimistic but clear-eyed” about delivering three second-hand nuclear powered subs to Australia in the biggest sign yet the pact may be in trouble.US Under Secretary of Defence for Policy Elbridge Colby said the deal had Donald Trump’s backing and remained “full steam ahead” to journalists on a tour of the Philippines, Thailand, Indonedia and Cambodia, according to theAustralian Financial Review.Mr Colby, a China hawk and the person behind a review of the AUKUS deal for the Trump administration, sidestepped questions on whether the US would produce enough subs to hand three second-hand Virginia-class subs to Australia from 2032 onwards.The US currently produces 1.2 vessels a year. It needs to double that rate to meet its commitments under AUKUS.“We all know this is an historic endeavour on the part of both countries, but particularly for Australia,’’ Mr Colby said.“We remain optimistic but also clear-eyed about what we all need to do.“We will just keep knocking down the targets on our side. We have every expectation the Australian side will do the same.”Mr Colby also said the Trump administration was pleased with Canberra’s progress updating Western Australia’s HMAS Stirling naval base.The base is undergoing a massive upgrade to support US and Australian nuclear subs from 2032.“We have been pleased with progress on SRF-West, which is tremendously important and is one of the key values that benefit not just the United States but Australia itself,’ he said.“Because I think one of the things that we’ve been impressed, you know, with our close ally, no better ally Australia, is that Australia really sees things through the lens of collective defence and a strategy of deterrence by denial, designed to sustain a balance of power in this key region.”It comes as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he discussed the defence pact in an overnight call with President Donald Trump.At a press conference Friday morning, August 14, Mr Albanese said: “The president and I exchanged views on a number of global and regional issues, including the conflict in the Middle East and recent developments in the Pacific.“We reviewed the significant progress that has been made under AUKUS, which remains full steam ahead.“We agreed it was a project that is and will continue to deliver benefits for the United States, for Australia, and for the United Kingdom.”Mr Albanese’s next face-to-face meeting with Mr Trump is expected to take place in September when he travels to New York for the UN General Assembly.Meanwhile, Australia’s defence industry minister Pay Conroy welcomed Mr Colby’s comments.“Of course there’s more to do … but Elbridge Colby was very clear that he’s pleased with progress,” he told the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing. “He was making the very valid and accurate points that this is a journey.”Earlier this week, former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull trashed the defence pact before a crowd-funded public inquiry and claimed Australia may not receive any Virginia-class subs.He accused politicians in Canberra of a “cargo-cult mentality”.“People clearly feel that if they acknowledge that there is a real risk that they won’t arrive, that will prevent them arriving: so you have to keep on believing,” he said.Mr Turnbull said second-hand US subs would only be transferred if the sale does not degrade US undersea warfare capabilities and that the industrial base can support both nations’ needs, according to a his submission, seen by theSydney Morning Herald.Former Royal Navy officer turned defence expert Jennifer Parker said the former prime minister’s comments on AUKUS were “nothing new”.“You have to remember — and I say this with no disrespect to the former prime minister — Malcolm Turnbull was the prime minister whose government selected the French submarine design. That context matters. By the time the project was cancelled, it was already facing serious questions about cost, schedule, technical risk and Australian industry content,” she told news.com.au, referring to the submarine deal the Morrison government shelved in 2021.The historic deal was announced in 2021 and sees the US, UK and Australia work together to bolster their nuclear-powered sub fleets, with Canberra set to build their own by 2042. The program will feature at least three submarines to be purchased from the US, upgrades to extend the life of the existing fleet, with at least five UK-designed vessels with US-technology to be built in Adelaide by the 2040s.Read related topics:Donald Trump