By Denis Hay
Description
US military bases in Australia and Trump’s chaotic leadership are exposing sovereignty, security, and wasted billions.
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Introduction: Why Australia Should Pay Attention
Donald Trump’s chaotic leadership style does not stop at America’s borders. Every decision he makes on alliances, wars, or trade sends ripples across the world. For Australia, the stakes are exceptionally high. With US military bases in Australia, our sovereignty and security are tied directly to Washington’s impulses.
If Trump escalates conflicts with China, Iran, or North Korea, US military bases in Australia could make us a target, dragging the nation into wars we never chose. Yet, our leaders treat the alliance as untouchable. Instead of using our dollar sovereignty to fund peace and prosperity at home, we risk becoming a launchpad for America’s wars.
The Problem: America’s Chaos, Australia’s Risk
1. US Military Bases in Australia
The United States operates several installations on Australian soil. The most significant is Pine Gap, near Alice Springs, which is formally described as a joint Australia-US facility. In practice, however, the “joint” label masks the reality that Australia has very little control over how the base operates.
- US Dominance: Pine Gap is primarily run by the CIA and the US National Security Agency (NSA). While Australians work there in technical and liaison roles, major operational decisions are made in Washington, not Canberra.
- Limited Oversight: Australia does not have veto power over how intelligence collected at Pine Gap is used. Data has been linked to US drone strikes and nuclear targeting, activities that successive Australian governments have little visibility of, let alone authority over.
- Token Partnership: Having Australians on site allows the facility to be branded as “joint,” but insiders acknowledge that Australians are often excluded from the most sensitive operations. The arrangement legitimises America’s presence while offering only symbolic sovereignty.
This imbalance matters. By hosting US military bases in Australia, we effectively outsource key national security decisions to Washington. If Trump escalates a conflict, Pine Gap would be central – and Australia would be pulled in automatically, without meaningful say.
2. Why Our Leaders Pander to Washington
Both major parties, Labor and the LNP, defend the alliance as sacred. Fear of losing American “protection” shapes every decision. Politicians also know the Murdoch media empire promotes pro-US narratives and punishes dissent.
Corporate pressure is another driver. Defence contractors, such as Lockheed Martin, BAE, and Australian firms tied to US contracts, push Canberra to deepen military integration. Pandering to Washington is not about protecting Australians. It is about protecting profits and political careers.
The Impact: How Trump’s Leadership Affects Australians
3. Risk of Being Dragged into US Wars
Trump is unpredictable. One day, he threatens allies with tariffs, the next, he praises authoritarian leaders. His approach to China, Iran, and North Korea swings wildly between confrontation and appeasement. If he escalates conflict in the Asia-Pacific, US military bases in Australia become targets overnight.
The reality is that US military bases in Australia tie us to American military decisions, whether we agree with them or not.
Australians would face risks not because we chose war, but because our soil hosts American assets. This loss of sovereignty is rarely debated in Parliament, yet it could decide our future.
4. The Cost for Ordinary Australians
The financial cost is staggering. Australia’s defence budget is set at $55.7 billion for 2024–25, with projections for steep growth through AUKUS (SIPRI). The nuclear submarine deal alone could cost between $268 billion to $368 billion over 30 years (Parliament of Australia).
Every dollar spent on foreign wars is a dollar not spent on housing, healthcare, or education. While ordinary Australians struggle with rising costs of living, defence lobbyists and US weapons manufacturers walk away with guaranteed contracts.
This is not security. It is exploitation. Maintaining US military bases in Australia also diverts public money away from urgent domestic priorities.
The Solution: Reclaiming Australia’s Independence
5. Use Our Dollar Sovereignty
Australia issues its own currency. That means we have monetary sovereignty. We can fund housing, education, renewable energy, and healthcare without relying on Washington or the private sector. Yet governments behave as though every dollar must be justified by American approval.
Instead of spending hundreds of billions on submarines that may never sail, we could:
- Fund renewable energy projects to ensure climate security.
- Guarantee housing for every Australian.
- Strengthen our public health and education systems.
- Invest in diplomacy and regional cooperation to prevent wars before they start.
- Reconsider the long-term presence of US military bases in Australia, weighing their risks against our sovereignty.
Dollar sovereignty gives us options. What is missing is the political will.
6. Policy Demands for a Safer Future
To reclaim independence, Australia must:
- Review all US military bases in Australia with full transparency.
- Hold a parliamentary inquiry into Pine Gap’s role in targeting and surveillance.
- Redirect billions from AUKUS and defence contracts into public purpose spending.
- Commit to an independent foreign policy that prioritises peace and regional cooperation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are US military bases in Australia controversial?
They integrate us into US conflicts and undermine national sovereignty.
Could Trump’s leadership trigger conflict for Australia?
Yes. His erratic decision-making could escalate tensions in regions where our bases are strategically vital.
How does dollar sovereignty offer an alternative?
It empowers Australia to invest in social programs and independent diplomacy without relying on US security guarantees.
Do US military bases in Australia protect us from threats?
Supporters argue they provide security, but critics highlight that they make Australia a target and reduce independent decision-making.
Final Thoughts: A Choice for Australia’s Future
The presence of US military bases in Australia means our security is tethered to Washington’s whims. Under a leader like Trump, the risks multiply. Escalations with China or Iran could drag Australia into wars we never chose.
The alternative is clear: use our monetary sovereignty to fund peace, resilience, and independence. Australia does not need to be America’s junior partner. We can choose to put Australians first.
This debate is no longer abstract; US military bases in Australia directly shape our foreign policy choices and our exposure to global conflict.
What’s Your Experience?
Do you believe US military bases in Australia make us safer, or put us at greater risk under leaders like Trump?
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References
Lowy Institute: Hidden Dragon: Why Australia Needs to Talk About Pine Gap
SIPRI: Military Expenditure Database.
Parliamentary Library: AUKUS Cost Estimates.
Pine Gap Protests: Activists Face Court.
This article was originally published on Social Justice Australia Social Justice Australia.
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There is also the disposal of nuclear waste to consider; and with Pillar 2 transparency and accountability are affected and what limitations intellectual property protections place on its usefullness, then we should also keep track of who and how politicians are profiting personally from this spending bonanza.
The US submarine building facilities will not be improved sufficiently to mean we are going to get these Viginia class subs ,and the UK building program is a shambles, suggesting it will be yet another spending black hole that yields nothing useful.
(https://johnmenadue.com/post/2025/09/the-shrinking-us-navy-submarine-force-implications-for-aukus-pillar-1-part-1/)
https://johnmenadue.com/post/2025/09/ssn-aukus-heading-for-a-quagmire-part-ii/
This has been obvious for years, so why is Labor persisting with this obscene waste of money when the opportunity costs are horrendous?
Reply to first comment (nuclear waste, transparency, profiteering)
You raise critical points. The nuclear waste issue has been pushed to the sidelines in public debate, yet it’s one of the most serious long-term risks. Moreover, the secrecy around Pillar 2 and the lack of accountability for how these funds are used make it very hard for Australians to see whether this deal serves the public good.
Tracking political donations and personal gains from defence spending is something citizens should demand more transparency on; otherwise, the “spending bonanza” benefits the few while ordinary Australians are left carrying the risks.
Reply to the second comment (submarine delays, waste, opportunity cost)
I agree, the submarine program is looking more like a financial black hole than a genuine security investment. The links you shared highlight just how fragile both the US and UK shipbuilding programs are. If they can’t deliver, why is Labor tying Australia to such an enormous and uncertain cost?
When you think about the opportunity costs, public housing, health, education, renewable energy, it really is obscene. This is precisely why more people are asking whether US military bases in Australia and AUKUS truly serve our interests, or if they just keep us locked into Washington’s priorities.
chuck the Yanks out of Pine Gap NOW, before e are involved in a bloody conflict in the Middle East. We do NOT support Israel’s genocide in Gaza and DT does, so that’s the reason. e might have needed them after WW2 but no more. The sub deal should be scrapped, let’s go back to the UK and France as partners, more likely to remain friends with them, and in return we can expect support. We could run Pine Gap with both of them as equal partners
The Chinese navy approached its government with a proposal to develop AI-controlled mobile sea mines and claimed the South China Sea floor was ideal for providing perfect cover for such mines to allow them go undetected by submarines until it was too late. Apparently, the government agreed to develop this project.
If it is successful it would render nuclear subs of the Virginia class obsolete in that location as the risk of being sunk would be too great.
The US defense administration knows it is never going to sell nuclear subs to any other country, let alone Australia, without having absolute control of those submarines. From the perspective of the US, AUKUS was about locking Australia into subservience in its forever wars for next 40 years. It was about having Australia build, pay for and equip US bases for US subs on Australian soil.
Guess which morons bought that lock, stock and barrel?
Keitha, I’m with you. The US has broken the trade agreement they had with us, Pine Gap is supposed to be a joint facility,in all practicality is not a joint facility, use the breaking of the trade agreement as grounds to get rid of Pine Gap.
Or better still just be honest and say it is not in Australia’s interests for national security reasons. There would be consequences, but it would be worth it to break free of this delusional belief that sucking up to the US gives us national security. Paul Keating was spot on when he said this Albanese government will have Australia as nothing more than a pair thongs hanging out of the US’s backside and this AUKUS deal is the worst in history.
The US keeps control of the software that runs the planes it sells. I’ve read people who should know speak of that in terms of the updates to that software. Some pundits have claimed that it means the US could cause our planes to fall out of the sky if they wanted to (don’t know whether there is sound basis for that or not). This would be a consideration. But, when the dominant “partner”in this “alliance” starts demanding obedience it is time to get out of that “partnership”.
The UK has a whole dockyard of rusting hulks of decommissioned nuclear subs because they can’t find a way to store the nuclear waste. The US can’t find a place to store their’s. They must be laughing all the way to the bank now that Australia will let them off the hook and store their waste at our cost.
I read recently that the Albanese government is secretly planning to store the nuclear waste at either Woolonggong or Newcastle. If anywhere, it should go to Geelong; afterall it is the electorate that inflicts Marles onto the rest of Australia.
The ANZUS Treaty is of no particular value to Australia. There is no guarantee that the US will come to aid our defence if Australia is attacked or invaded. NZ defence forces are insufficient to defend NZ let alone provide significant aid to Australia. The AUKUS arrangement guarantees US and UK sub builders $380b yet no guarantee for either on time delivery or RAN control of the subs. Furthermore, USA expects Australian participation in any “hot” war simply because USA controls their military bases here in Australia. That guarantees at least 4 Australian targets for nuclear annihilation by hypersonic ICBMs – Pine Gap Northern Territory, RAF Tindal, NT (B52 capable airfield), HMAS Stirling, (sub base in south west WA) and North West Cape (radio telemetry station) near Exmouth, north west WA.
I am shortly sending the following to the PM etc via my local member.
Question is to the Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Finance Minister.
If war breaks out between the USA/Australia v China and China attacks US and Australian military facilities (eg Pine Gap (Alice Springs), Northwest Cape (Exmouth), HMAS Stirling/Henderson (Perth)) and other instillations, with either conventional and/or nuclear weapons…
Likely Australian deaths and injuries from both conventional and nuclear attacks.
2.Potential Consequences on Australia by China. eg Invasion, Ports blockades (eg stop access to fuel reserves)
NOTE My Daughter and her family live in Exmouth.
Question is to the finance? Minister
If war breaks out between the USA/Australia v China and all trade stops between Australia and China, what is the likely damage that will be caused to Australia eg financial damage to the economy. Please provide full details eg Job losses.
Background
As you are no doubt aware. Trump and other influential people and organisations both inside and outside the US government and its military, are encouraging a war with China.
China has repeatedly threatened that if it is attacked by the USA that it will take out U.S. military installations in Australia without warning. It could easily be a nuclear attack, especially on Pine Gap.
Australians have a right to know the answers to the above questions.
If the Government is not forthcomming with answers it is my intention to lodge an FOI request