Australians Grow Skeptical of U.S. Defense Guarantee, Poll Shows
New YouGov survey across the Quad shows Australians remain supportive of the U.S. alliance but far more skeptical about whether Washington would defend Australia if China attacked; confidence is lower now than under Biden, with 68% trusting the U.S. today vs 84% during Biden’s term and only 29% calling a U.S. defense pledge ‘very likely’. The poll also finds confusion over AUKUS (46% uncertain on Virginia-class subs) and only 23% say the government adequately explained the rationale. The Quad is viewed as cooperative, not a replacement for the alliance, most Australians see China as an economic partner rather than a danger, and a majority support deeper ties with middle powers; a public inquiry into AUKUS is due Oct. 1.
