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Anthony Albanese set to meet Donald Trump at G7 Summit
The Prime Minister will meet with Donald Trump for the first time this week, on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada.
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Sydney Morning Herald
44 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Trump fantasises about being king and he doesn't care which rules he breaks to become one
Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has been testing his power. He has ignored court orders, fired civil servants, limited journalist access to the White House because they refused to change their editorial stances and he has accepted a 747 from a Gulf autocrat. But the past few weeks have felt like something in the wind is shifting as Trump lashes out. Ever since his high-profile break-up with Elon Musk, he has been on a tear to test his own power. The protests in Los Angeles have been largely peaceful: any violence and looting has been well within the militarised capabilities of the LAPD. And yet, Trump federalised the National Guard above the wishes of a state governor and a city mayor, something that hadn't been done since LBJ used the same power to protect civil rights protesters in the 1960s as schools in Alabama were desegregated. This weekend's military parade feels like it's from the same place as Trump looks to project a kind of machismo in a display that would feel more suited to the streets of Moscow than Washington. He has called for the 'liberation' of Los Angeles in language that smacks of the rhetoric of the Bush family's adventurism around the Middle East to liberate countries from any government mildly critical of the United States. America, for all of its nationalism and patriotism, has never been fond of these kinds of military parades, certainly not since the end of World War II. Tanks rolling through the streets on the president's birthday do not seem to follow in the country whose existence is tied to the overthrow of an all-powerful king. The army that was notionally being celebrated was founded explicitly to prevent any one person from having too much power over the nation. And that is the kind of power that Trump is exploring. When he posted a graphic in February of himself in a crown, the caption reading 'long live the king', he was engaging in a fantasy he's long had, living in his gilded Oval Office and the rich trappings of the fanciful old monarchies. He paraded troops through a sparse crowd in DC, a powerful juxtaposition of the US soldiers deployed to harass lawful protesters in Los Angeles. He is unafraid to use the military for his own gain. Just last week, he stood in front of a stand of soldiers at Fort Bragg, selected for their political beliefs and physical appearance, and used them as a prop in his political theatre, defying long-held conventions and rules against the military being involved in partisan politics. No uniformed member of the US military can participate in anything political, something long cherished in the US. But Trump sees the military only as a projection of the kind of strength that his brand of politics admires, and he's willing to break the rules to claim that mantle. Trump is testing the limits of his power. He is defying court orders that block him from deporting legal residents, and his administration does so anyway. He is silencing protesters with shows of overwhelming force. A US senator has been kicked out and handcuffed for trying to ask questions of the people in charge of the immigration crackdowns that are tearing through American society.
The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
Trump fantasises about being king and he doesn't care which rules he breaks to become one
Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has been testing his power. He has ignored court orders, fired civil servants, limited journalist access to the White House because they refused to change their editorial stances and he has accepted a 747 from a Gulf autocrat. But the past few weeks have felt like something in the wind is shifting as Trump lashes out. Ever since his high-profile break-up with Elon Musk, he has been on a tear to test his own power. The protests in Los Angeles have been largely peaceful: any violence and looting has been well within the militarised capabilities of the LAPD. And yet, Trump federalised the National Guard above the wishes of a state governor and a city mayor, something that hadn't been done since LBJ used the same power to protect civil rights protesters in the 1960s as schools in Alabama were desegregated. This weekend's military parade feels like it's from the same place as Trump looks to project a kind of machismo in a display that would feel more suited to the streets of Moscow than Washington. He has called for the 'liberation' of Los Angeles in language that smacks of the rhetoric of the Bush family's adventurism around the Middle East to liberate countries from any government mildly critical of the United States. America, for all of its nationalism and patriotism, has never been fond of these kinds of military parades, certainly not since the end of World War II. Tanks rolling through the streets on the president's birthday do not seem to follow in the country whose existence is tied to the overthrow of an all-powerful king. The army that was notionally being celebrated was founded explicitly to prevent any one person from having too much power over the nation. And that is the kind of power that Trump is exploring. When he posted a graphic in February of himself in a crown, the caption reading 'long live the king', he was engaging in a fantasy he's long had, living in his gilded Oval Office and the rich trappings of the fanciful old monarchies. He paraded troops through a sparse crowd in DC, a powerful juxtaposition of the US soldiers deployed to harass lawful protesters in Los Angeles. He is unafraid to use the military for his own gain. Just last week, he stood in front of a stand of soldiers at Fort Bragg, selected for their political beliefs and physical appearance, and used them as a prop in his political theatre, defying long-held conventions and rules against the military being involved in partisan politics. No uniformed member of the US military can participate in anything political, something long cherished in the US. But Trump sees the military only as a projection of the kind of strength that his brand of politics admires, and he's willing to break the rules to claim that mantle. Trump is testing the limits of his power. He is defying court orders that block him from deporting legal residents, and his administration does so anyway. He is silencing protesters with shows of overwhelming force. A US senator has been kicked out and handcuffed for trying to ask questions of the people in charge of the immigration crackdowns that are tearing through American society.
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
Australia warned it could 'never replicate' at risk AUKUS deal as Anthony Albanese prepares for crucial talks with Donald Trump
A foreign policy expert has warned Australia and the United Kingdom could "never replicate" AUKUS without support from the United States ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's crucial meeting with President Donald Trump. Concerns about President Trump's approach to AUKUS were raised to new heights following the announcement last week his administration was launching a review into the the trilateral pact. Set to be led by AUKUS sceptic Elbridge Colby, the review has stoked fears the US could walk away from the agreement in what would come as a huge blow to Australia's defence and strategic plan. Mr Albanese is now facing significant pressure to convince President Trump of AUKUS' value, with many analysts expecting the US leader will pressure his Australian counterpart on defence spending when the two meet on the sidelines of the G7 on Wednesday. British Foreign Policy Group senior research and programs manager Eliza Keogh warned there was a "real possibility" President Trump would pull out of the pact, with the Australian and UK governments now jointly scrambling to keep the deal alive. "AUKUS offers clear strategic advantages for the US - from regional proximity to China, to access to Australian facilities for docking and servicing - and there is a possibility the review could just be the Trump administration increasing pressure on Australia to boost its defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP," she told "Nevertheless, there is a real possibility the US could withdraw from AUKUS, particularly with AUKUS sceptic Elbridge Colby leading the review. "The Trump administration's tendency to prioritise short-term political calculations over strategic foresight means that it may opt to withdraw from AUKUS, despite its long-term focus on countering the rise of China, as short term interests - predominantly keeping US-built submarines at home - will win out." Several analysts and observers have highlighted flagging US submarine manufacturing as a potential dealbreaker, with the nation at risk of missing its goal to increase the size of its fleet to 66 vessels by 2049. Debate over the provision of Virginia class submarines to Australia - a stop-gap measure to ensure Australia remains well equipped while AUKUS vessels are constructed - has raged for almost two years and has drawn scrutiny from both Democrats and Republicans. Some have suggested President Trump may demand Australia increase the $3 billion it will send to the US to help offset production costs for the submarines in order to ensure the deal remains on tract, although Mr Albanese ruled out that possibility in 2023 and appears unlikely to change course. Instead, the Prime Minister is expected to emphasise the in-kind benefits AUKUS provides the US during his sit down with President Trump, while also pointing to Labor's $57 billion boost to defence spending over the next decade. According to Ms Keogh, highlighting Australia's role in deterring Chinese ambitions in the Indo-Pacific is likely to be another effective tactic given the US' desire to see "partners stepping up in the region". She also offered a more radical solution, which, while likely to appease President Trump, could also leave Australia dependent on the US until the first AUKUS vessels come online in the 2030s. "If they are looking to placate Trump, UK and Australian negotiators could look to renegotiate parts of the deal, including offering to loan submarines back to the US if necessary," Ms Keogh said. It remains to be seen what, if any concessions, Mr Albanese makes to the US President, but the foreign policy expert warned it would be impossible to replace AUKUS should Australia and the UK fail to maintain American support. "The UK and Australia have already agreed to negotiate a bilateral AUKUS treaty, but this could never replicate the scale and weight of the trilateral agreement," Ms Keogh said. Publicly both nations have sought to downplay the risk of US withdrawal, with Britain's Labour government highlighting the fact it held a similar review after it came to power. However, Ms Keogh explained officials were privately "very nervous" about how the Trump administration would proceed. The UK has made a flurry of announcements, including a pointed commitment to boost its own submarine production in coming years, as it attempts to demonstrate it is serious about raising its defence spend. Meanwhile, the Australian government has taken a different approach, pushing back against US calls to increase spending and insisting its current strategic plans are adequate. This has prompted intense criticism from a number of leading defence experts, who warn Australia is both weaker and less capable then in previous decades while also at risk of jeopardising its relationship with its most significant defence partner.
