Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s first formal face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump has landed a major deal on critical minerals and secured a positive response from the president on the future of AUKUS.
In the White House meeting, Trump also avoided public pressure on Albanese over Australia’s defence spending, and referred to his election success and called him “a great prime minister”.
There was one embarrassment, however, when Trump was asked about Ambassador Kevin Rudd’s past disparagement of him. The president replied, “Did an ambassador say something bad? Don’t tell me. Where is he? Is he still working for you?” he asked Albanese.
