10 hours ago
Trump's long list of grievances with Australia revealed: PETER VAN ONSELEN
The anticipated first meeting between Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada never happened. Trump pulled the pin at the eleventh hour, jetting back to Washington to deal with the evolving crisis in the Middle East.
We are almost six months into Trump's resurrected presidency and Albo still hasn't had a face to face meeting. The excuse, to be fair, is a reasonable one: Escalating tensions with Iran following Israel 's targeted strikes aimed at wiping out its nuclear capabilities is the sort of issue you expect a US President to prioritise over meeting Albo.
Nevertheless, Trump had already caught up with British PM Keir Starmer and got movement on a bilateral trade deal with Italy before his departure. Australia has certainly been left knowing where it sits in the international pecking order.
Australia got nothing, not even a hallway handshake before events took over. For a government trying to reaffirm the US alliance and get clarity on everything from Trump's commitment to AUKUS to economically risky tariff rollouts, the cancellation of a leaders meeting couldn't have come at a worse time for the government.
Albo desperately needs to build a personal connection with Trump to help Australia manage his unpredictability.
Canberra's decision to sanction two far-right Israeli ministers drew swift criticism from US Republicans and pro-Israel voices close to Trump. Any lingering resentment on that front can't now be papered over with a leader to leader meeting either.
Washington's complaints over our defence spending was another issue that a face to face meeting might have helped with.
So when and where will Trump and Albo finally now meet? It's hard to imagine Trump bothering to make his way down under, meaning that an Oval Office catch up is the most likely next opportunity. If Trump ever extends the offer Albo's way.
But if the experience of other world leaders who have caught up with Trump at the White House is anything to go by, it is a place where niceties go to die.
A sideline catch up at the G7 would have been much easier.
Just ask Volodymyr Zelensky. He left Washington uncertain the US would even continue to back Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia.
If Albanese ever does get a sit down Oval Office meeting with Trump he'd be wise to prepare for anything. The US President isn't known for sticking to agendas.
I remember visiting the Trump White House back in 2019 when then PM Scott Morrison was honoured with a state dinner. Their Oval Office meeting was supposed to be just a photo opportunity once the media were allowed in. Instead Trump started taking questions and before you knew it the best part of an hour had passed by.
That's Trump's style, only on that occasion he was in a positive mood. These days he has more than a few grumbles, including with the Australian government.
He could raise tariffs, AUKUS, TikTok bans, China, Julian Assange or none of the above. For all the careful briefing notes and diplomatic prep Team Albo is likely to do if the meeting ever happens, our PM could find himself facing questions about beef exports one minute and 'woke' universities the next.
There is no script that will be followed, and we all know Albo loves the certainty of a script.
Until the elusive meeting happens, our PM remains on the outside looking in. For Australia, that's not just awkward. It's potentially dangerous, given the length and breadth of issues in need of attention right now.
