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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has held further talks with United States President Donald Trump on trade and security, but there’s no word yet on when the pair will meet face-to-face.
Albanese revealed the leaders spoke in a social media post just before midnight on Thursday.
It was the fourth phone call between the pair, which Albanese said was “warm and constructive”.
“We discussed our trade and economic relationship as well as areas for growth, including critical minerals,” he said in the post on X.
“We also discussed shared US-Australia security interests.”
A readout of the meeting said Albanese discussed economic cooperation, as well as trade and critical minerals important to both countries.
“Leaders also discussed the strength of our relationship and the importance of our shared security interests,” it said.
But there was no word on when the two leaders will hold their first face-to-face meeting, which Australia has been pursuing since Trump’s return to the presidency in November.
The two were expected to have talks in June on the sidelines of a G7 summit in Canada, but the meeting was cancelled after Trump returned to the US early to deal with issues in the Middle East.
The conversation occurred only a few weeks before a United Nations General Assembly meeting. Trump is also set to attend this event, where Australia is anticipated to align with the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and other nations in advocating for the acknowledgment of a Palestinian state.
‘Lots going on in the US-Australia relationship’
Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, welcomed the phone call between the two leaders.
“Lots going on in the US-Australia relationship. And going from strength to strength,” he said on X.
The phone call coincides with Australia’s efforts to persuade the US to drop tariffs on its exports.
At the same time, the US is reviewing the AUKUS trilateral security alliance, under which Australia is expected to spend $386 billion on nuclear-powered attack submarines.
The government is currently spending 2.02 per cent with a view to increasing that sum to 2.33 per cent of GDP by 2033/34.
Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth said the phone call between the two leaders expanded on ties between the allies.
“We have the lowest trade tariffs of any country in the world when it comes to the US, but no doubt, this builds on what is already a warm relationship between the two of them,” she told Seven’s Sunrise program on Friday.
“As the prime minister has indicated, they’ll meet when it’s convenient for both parties.
“Clearly, there’s a connection there with four phone calls,” she said.
But Liberal senator Jane Hume told Seven’s Sunrise program more work needed to be done to secure a face-to-face meeting with Trump.
“It’s been 300 days now since President Trump has was elected, and still no meeting between our leaders, and that’s a concern.
“We want Anthony Albanese to step up and represent Team Australia with President Trump, and particularly to secure our AUKUS agreements.”
