The U.S., Britain, and Australia shared some big news on Wednesday, announcing a trilateral pact — AUKUS — aimed at outfitting Australia with nuclear-powered submarines that will be able to patrol the Indo-Pacific region and, they did not say, help keep China's military in check. The agreement was announced by President Biden, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and, um, that other guy.
"Thank you Boris," Biden toward the TV screen broadcasting Johnson, then he turned to the other screen. "And I want to thank that fellow Down Under. Thank you very much, pal. Appreciate it, Mr. Prime Minister." If you also can't quite come up with the name of Australia's fifth prime minister in eight years, it's Scott Morrison. Or perhaps Biden was making a Men at Work reference.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Biden isn't the first world leader who may have needed help remembering the Australian prime minister," Politico adds. "German Chancellor Angela Merkel was photographed flipping through a crib sheet featuring a photo and notes on Morrison when she met him at a G20 summit in 2018."
-
Marie Antoinette Style at the V&A: a ‘magnificent’ exhibitionThe Week Recommends The UK’s first show dedicated solely to the French queen explores the complex woman behind the ‘bling’
-
8 riveting museum exhibitions on view in the fallThe Week Recommends See Winslow Homer rarities and Black art reimagined
-
Crossword: September 18, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
‘We must empower young athletes with the knowledge to stay safe’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
House posts lewd Epstein note attributed to TrumpSpeed Read The estate of Jeffrey Epstein turned over the infamous 2003 birthday note from President Donald Trump
-
Supreme Court allows 'roving' race-tied ICE raidsSpeed Read The court paused a federal judge's order barring agents from detaining suspected undocumented immigrants in LA based on race
-
South Korea to fetch workers detained in Georgia raidSpeed Read More than 300 South Korean workers detained in an immigration raid at a Hyundai plant will be released
-
Why are Trump's health rumors about more than just presidential fitness?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION Extended absences and unexplained bruises have raised concerns about both his well-being and his administration's transparency
-
DC sues Trump to end Guard 'occupation'Speed Read D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb argues that the unsolicited military presence violates the law
-
RFK Jr. faces bipartisan heat in Senate hearingSpeed Read The health secretary defended his leadership amid CDC turmoil and deflected questions about the restricted availability of vaccines
-
White House defends boat strike as legal doubts mountSpeed Read Experts say there was no legal justification for killing 11 alleged drug-traffickers
