Australians should expect more US troops on our soil, Defence Minister Richard Marles has told the Latika Takes podcast.

As part of AUKUS, the United States will start operating its own nuclear-capable submarines out of HMAS Stirling in Perth in 2027.

Mr Hegseth has said in several readouts after speaking to or meeting Mr Marles that they have discussed “accelerating US force posture initiatives in Australia.”

Asked if this meant a greater US military presence in Australia, Mr Marles confirmed it would grow but did not think that would be controversial or surprising.

Former Home Affairs boss and author of the 2009 Defence White Paper Mike Pezzullo, recently wrote in the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s The Strategist, that while the US did not have a significant number of troops in Australia, they were creating the infrastructure for a surge.