Anthony Albanese has had a “very warm” conversation with Donald Trump about tariffs and AUKUS, foreshadowing a coming meeting with the US president after Labor’s election win.
Trump was asked earlier on Monday about the Australian election at the White House. He said, “I’m very friendly with” Albanese, but distanced himself from the Liberal leader, Peter Dutton.
Albanese on Monday held his first press conference after Saturday’s election victory, saying he was “optimistic” about the future and again committing Labor to being an “orderly” government with a “positive” agenda. The re-elected prime minister praised his team’s efforts in overseeing reduced inflation and interest rates, and seeing wages and employment rising.
Albanese revealed he had now spoken to Trump, as well as the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney – who invited him to join the G7 meeting in Alberta next month – and would soon speak to the leaders of India, Singapore, and Thailand.
“I had a warm and positive conversation with President Trump, just a short while ago, when I was at the Lodge, and I thank him for his very warm message of congratulations,” Albanese said.
Albanese and Trump could cross paths at the G7, which will be held in Kananaskis, Alberta, from 15-17 June.
Albanese on Sunday said he had spoken to the leaders of Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, France, and the UK, and looked forward to calls with the presidents of Indonesia and Ukraine.
Trump’s “liberation day” tariffs on all overseas imports to the US, which included a 10% levy on Australian goods, were announced early in the election period. Dutton’s Liberal campaign portrayed the tariffs as a major failing of the Albanese government, saying Labor should have better leveraged Australia’s diplomatic and military relationship with the US.
Labor had strongly condemned Dutton and the Coalition for policy positions that echoed some of Trump’s. Albanese’s campaign had ridiculed Coalition senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price and her family for wearing Trump merchandise including Make America Great Again hats, after the senator commented to “make Australia great again”.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/05/anthony-albanese-donald-trump-call-peter-dutton-australian-federal-election-result
