Trump administration expresses regrets for ditching Albanese meeting

Australia Broadcast Center

15 hours ago

Foreign Minister Penny Wong says the Trump administration has expressed its regrets to her for missing a meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on the sidelines of the G7.
The senator also said the US secretary of state had recognised the "importance" of the AUKUS agreement to both nations during their 45-minute meeting — and that a demand made last month for Australia to lift its defence spending was not repeated.
Mr Albanese is yet to meet face-to-face with United States President Donald Trump nine months since his election win, and has faced criticism from the Coalition for not pushing harder to meet with him earlier.
The pair were due to meet in Canada last week at the G7 leaders' summit, but Mr Trump left abruptly as the conflict between Israel and Iran flared.
Senator Wong, who is in the United States for a "Quad" meeting between the US, Australia, India and Japan, said she used talks with US Foreign Secretary Marco Rubio to discuss a future meeting between Mr Albanese and Mr Trump.
"He expressed his regret for the fact that the meeting had to be rescheduled," she told Channel Nine.
"I obviously said we completely understood; I think the world understood the president had a fair bit to do, given what was occurring in the Middle East."
The foreign minister rejected suggestions that Australia's ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, who Mr Trump once labelled "not the brightest bulb", was a hurdle to the pair meeting.
Senator Wong said Mr Rubio did not raise Mr Rudd with her.
The meeting comes as Australia navigates several issues that threaten to cause trouble domestically.
The US has openly demanded Australia lift its defence spending as soon as possible to 3.5 per cent of its GDP — about a $40 billion annual lift on current spending.
Senator Wong said Mr Rubio did not raise Australia's defence budget with her.
Australia's major defence partnership with the United Kingdom and the US is also under review by the Trump administration, which is concerned the country may not be able to deliver on its deal to provide Australia with nuclear-powered submarines.
Senator Wong said she and Mr Rubio discussed deepening cooperation across the alliance, "including through AUKUS".
"We had a good discussion about the work we do together, we had a good discussion about AUKUS, and a good discussion about the positive benefits of AUKUS to [Australia, the US and the UK]," Senator Wong said.
"We both understand the importance to both our countries and to the United Kingdom."
Earlier this year, before the announcement of a US review into AUKUS led by sceptic Elbridge Colby, Mr Rubio said AUKUS had the "very strong support" of the Trump administration.
Meanwhile, the conversation of tariffs on foreign imports to the US looms large over trade discussions, and while the government believes the 10 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium are unlikely to have a major impact, more punishing tariffs on China could hurt Australia if Chinese demand for Australian goods falls as a consequence.
The senator said the Quad had also discussed strengthening cooperation on developing critical minerals supply chains, a "strategic vulnerability" that Senator Wong said Australia could do more to develop.