Donald Trump has given a “warm reception” to the AUKUS defence pact during a meeting with Scott Morrison in New York, the former prime minister says.

Mr Trump has never publicly endorsed the pact, which was announced by Australia, the US and the UK in 2021, when Mr Morrison was prime minister.

That’s raised questions about whether the former president — who has questioned America’s commitment to some international alliances — would support AUKUS if re-elected in November.

But in a social media post, Mr Morrison said the pair discussed AUKUS on Tuesday night, local time, and it “received a warm reception” from Mr Trump.

In an interview with the ABC in Washington on Wednesday, Mr Morrison declined to reveal specifically what Mr Trump told him about his position on AUKUS. “I’m not going to go into that because obviously [it was] a private conversation,” he said.

Central to the pact is a plan to supply Australia with American-built nuclear-powered submarines.

But some Republicans have previously resisted delivering submarines to Australia while local shipbuilders struggle to manufacture enough to meet local targets.

Under the pact, the US could cancel the transfer of the submarines if it deems it would degrade American capabilities. But Mr Morrison said he saw no cause for concern.

“I think there’s a lot of hyperventilation that has gone on about this issue, and I think much of it has been overstated and unfounded,” Mr Morrison told the ABC.