US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says Donald Trump is "supportive" of the AUKUS alliance, after Australia sent a $US500 million ($798 million) payment to Washington as part of it.
Mr Hegseth made the comments at the Pentagon on Friday, local time, as he met with Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles.
It was the first time a member of Mr Trump's cabinet has explicitly described the new US president's opinions on the AUKUS partnership, which was struck under his predecessor Joe Biden.
"The president is very aware, supportive of AUKUS and … the investment Australia is willing to make," Mr Hegseth said.
Mr Marles is the first direct counterpart Mr Hegseth, an army veteran and former TV presenter, has met with in person since he was confirmed on January 25.
The Albanese government made a $US500 million payment ahead of the pair's meeting.
It's the first of a total $US3 billion ($4.78 billion) investment Australia will give the US to help improve the country's submarine manufacturing capabilities.
Developing and manufacturing nuclear submarines is the first pillar of the AUKUS partnership.
US is scheduled to deliver Australia the first two second-hand Virginia class boats by the early 2030s.
When asked whether they'd be delivered on time, Mr Hegseth responded "We sure hope so".
But last year, concerns were raised about America's capacity to produce nuclear-powered submarines for it's own military requirements, let alone Australia's.
"We're really pleased that the first payment in respect of that half a billion dollars we've been able to make in the first couple of weeks of the Trump administration," Mr Marles said, before the meeting began at the Pentagon.
"We're really pleased to make it in the first week of your tenure as the Secretary of Defence."
It's estimated the AUKUS submarine pact could cost Australia up to $368 billion over the next three decades.
Mr Marles described the submarine deal and associated increase in Australia's defence spending as "paying our way".
Mr Hegseth said he and Mr Marles had "a lot to talk about", particularly security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
"Australia is the forefront of our alliance there and throughout the world," he said.
The AUKUS pact, and the amount of money Australia is spending on it, has been criticised by former prime ministers Malcolm Turnbull and Paul Keating.
Mr Keating told the ABC's 7.30 program last year that Australia risked becoming the "51st state of the United States" under the AUKUS agreement, which sent the wrong message to China.
Mr Turnbull, who brokered a previous deal with France which has since been scrapped, last year told the ABC "because the Morrison government, adopted by Albanese, has basically abandoned our sovereignty in terms of submarines, we are completely dependent on what happens in the United States as to whether we get them now".
