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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Tom McIlroy

As Trump chaos builds ahead of the midterms, Albanese must tread carefully

US president Donald Trump holds a Rose Garden event at the White House on 15 October, 2026.
The US president holds a Rose Garden event at the White House on 15 October, 2026. ‘The possibility of losing control of the US Congress is clearly already weighing on Trump’s mind.’ Photograph: Tom Brenner/EPA

When Anthony Albanese jets to Florida for the G20 leaders summit later this year, he could come face to face with the architect of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The presence of Vladimir Putin at the meeting of the world’s biggest economies would be a stark reminder of the rapidly shifting political reality facing Australia, as the country’s closest security ally becomes even more unpredictable under Donald Trump.

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