US President Donald Trump has signalled that his administration is considering elements of Australia’s compulsory superannuation system as part of a potential overhaul of the US retirement landscape, describing the model as “a good plan” and confirming policymakers are “looking at it very seriously”.
Trump made the comments during an event promoting a record donation of US$6.25 billion from Dell technology company put toward children’s investment accounts, where he broadened the discussion to the wider retirement system and said an Australian-style structure was being examined for working Americans.
He emphasised that the idea under review would not be limited to children’s accounts but could apply across the labour market.
Australia’s superannuation framework requires employers to make mandatory contributions into retirement savings accounts that accumulate over a worker’s lifetime and are invested across diversified portfolios.
Trump highlighted the appeal of a system built on compulsory contributions combined with long-term investment growth.
His remarks come as the United States continues to grapple with concerns about the long-term sustainability of existing retirement arrangements, including the future funding of Social Security and the uneven coverage of voluntary savings plans such as 401(k)s.
No detailed proposal has yet been released, and Trump did not outline contribution rates, governance structures or how such a scheme would integrate with existing programs.
He also did not indicate whether the idea would complement or replace parts of the current system.
The comments nevertheless represent one of the clearest signals to date that his administration is exploring significant retirement policy changes.
While adopting a compulsory model similar to Australia’s would require substantial political, legislative and economic coordination, Trump’s endorsement could potentially place the concept firmly on the national agenda.
The extent to which the proposal advances will depend on whether policymakers choose to formalise the review into concrete legislation and how it intersects with broader debates about retirement income security in the United States.
The Australian government recently signed a partnership with Washington which commits both governments to boosting private capital flows into strategic sectors, including clean energy and critical minerals.
The White House said Australian superannuation funds are expected to increase investments in the US to US$1.44 trillion (about $2.2 trillion) by 2035, as part of a broader push to strengthen bilateral economic and supply chain ties.
The framework forms part of a larger strategic effort to align the two countries’ investment systems, positioning Australian capital to support energy transition projects and infrastructure in the US, while opening new opportunities for Australian institutional investors in the world’s largest capital market.
