Trump pick for Pentagon says selling submarines to Australia would be ‘crazy’ if Taiwan tensions flare

Nominee for undersecretary for defense policy says Aukus deal to deliver Virginia class submarines could leave US sailors vulnerable'

• Read more: Surface tension: could the promised Aukus nuclear submarines simply never be handed over to Australia?

One of Donald Trump's top picks for the Pentagon says selling submarines to Australia under the Aukus agreement poses a very difficult problem" for the US and could endanger its own sailors.

Elbridge Colby, Trump's nominee for undersecretary of defense for policy - the number three post at the US Department of Defense - has previously admitted he is skeptical" about Aukus and said this week he is worried selling submarines to Australian could leave US sailors vulnerable" because the vessels won't be in the right place in the right time".