WITH the latest polls indicating the race for the White House is neck and neck, Donald J Trump could soon be America’s President once more.

In recent weeks Trump appointed JD Vance as his running mate for Vice President.

Both Trump and Vance are said to be “centralists”.

If this is correct then Australia has every reason to be nervous about that reality.

Centralists base their primary political decisions around the philosophy that their country comes first in every instance.

Obviously, many Australians see Trump and his party differently, but we don’t get a vote.

Trump and his supporters perceived the economy to be faltering under Biden, arguing the large sums of money spent on the war in Ukraine could better be utilised at home supporting those struggling economically.

Australia needs the USA under ANZUS and other treaties to be our ultimate defence partner.

A Trump re-election may also cast doubts on the AUKUS deal and the eventual delivery of nuclear submarines for our defence.

We all remember the time when Trump wanted to back out of the repatriation deal to resettle asylum seekers in the USA whilst their applications to be accepted as refugees were investigated.

Many analysts are now suggesting that America could contract to within its own borders and set up their defences to reflect that, particularly in relation to their southern border with Mexico in order to stop illegal entry into the USA.

In recent times Trump has also declared that if member countries of NATO do not pay their fair share of defence costs, then the USA may well leave that pact, risking the potential collapse of the alliance.

By John BLACKBOURN