Nine News reporter Jonathan Kearsley recently pressed US President Donald Trump about the AUKUS alliance during a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the White House. The inquiry arose amid discussions on whether Trump had confused the acronym AUKUS, which represents the military partnership between the US, UK, and Australia, with the term ‘orcas’, potentially due to the reporter’s accent.
Initially, when questioned about the AUKUS alliance, Trump asked, “What does that mean?” However, upon clarification of the acronym, he seemed to grasp its significance. Kearsley took the opportunity to further inquire about Trump’s awareness of AUKUS, asking, “Do you know what the AUKUS alliance is, sir? What’s the AUKUS alliance, sir? Do you fully support it?”
As Trump listened, along with his aides, the interaction drew attention given his initial confusion. Following the questioning, Trump and his party turned and re-entered the White House. Kearsley later mentioned on Nine’s Today show that Trump’s potential misinterpretation could be attributed to the distance between them—about 30 to 40 metres—along with the notion that he might not have fully heard or understood the question.
Additionally, Kearsley noted that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had suggested limiting questions to ensure the President could easily understand responders. He speculated that Trump might have thought of “orcas,” or killer whales, during the exchange, highlighting how nuances in communication can sometimes lead to misunderstandings.