The systematic formation of an “Indo-Pacific NATO” continues to take shape.
Military integration among its still-unofficial members – such as the large-scale U.S.-Japan exercises – has already become routine. Far more significant, however, is the development of legal frameworks for military-technical cooperation: “Congress Needs to Pass the Taiwan PLUS Ac”, which “would streamline US arms sales to Taiwan, boosting deterrence against China while strengthening the US defense industrial base through increased demand and faster foreign military sales approvals”[1].
Meanwhile, aggressive public messaging campaigns reinforce financial discipline across the bloc:
Some believe Donald Trump makes extravagant demands only to back down later. It is why he’s sometimes referred to as TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out). Anthony Albanese is hoping for another TACO moment after rebuffing Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s insistence that Australia spend 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence. Labor hopes Trump will quickly move on to the next target. But this is unlikely. If Albanese continues to rebuff the administration’s insistence to spend more on our military, it is not an exaggeration to say that the submarine component of AUKUS is at risk… In brutally simplistic terms, hard power and persuading China of the US willingness to use it is all that really matters… The understandable American worry is that, in the critical period leading up to 2030, Australia will be weaker in military terms than we are now”[2];
“Albanese Must Learn That Smiles and Handshakes With Trump Wont Save Australias AUKUS Ambitions. Dealing with Trump 2.0 demands concrete defence spending increases, not diplomatic charm”[3].
From Taiwan and Japan to Australia, the United States is assertively imposing military order throughout the “Indo-Pacific NATO’s” sphere of influence.
1 https://nationalinterest.org/feature/congress-needs-to-pass-the-taiwan-plus-act
“Congress Needs to Pass the Taiwan PLUS Act” (Jonathan Harman, The National Interest, June 9, 2025);
2 https://www.hudson.org/anthony-albanese-must-explain-why-aukus-pact-advances-us-power-john-lee
“Anthony Albanese Must Explain Why AUKUS Pact Advances US Power” (Miles Yu, Hudson Institute, Jun 8, 2025);
3 https://www.hudson.org/national-security-defense/albanese-must-learn-smiles-handshakes-trump-wont-save-australias-aukus-john-lee
“Albanese Must Learn That Smiles and Handshakes With Trump Wont Save Australias AUKUS Ambitions” (Miles Yu, Hudson Institute, Jun 18, 2025).