ABC journalist John Lyons, working for the 4Corners program, questioned Trump regarding his business activities while in office, inquiring if it was “appropriate” for a sitting president to engage significantly in personal business ventures.

“My kids are running the business,” Trump said, before asking where Lyons was from.

The pair was set to convene on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Canada earlier this year, but Trump departed ahead of schedule to supervise what ultimately was a US bombing strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Albanese has justified the limited face-to-face interaction, citing multiple telephone discussions between the two, with Trump expressing admiration for Albanese following these exchanges.

However, topics such as Trump’s tariffs—especially on Australian steel and aluminium—and the US government’s assessment of the AUKUS security pact continue to be politically contentious for the prime minister.

Albanese travels to the US on the weekend to attend the United Nations General Assembly next week.

No meeting has been publicly confirmed, despite Trump’s comments.