Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump appeared to hit it off as they finally met in person, but a seriously awkward moment came when the president responded to a question about past remarks from Australia’s US ambassador Kevin Rudd, which included calling Trump a “village idiot”.
“There’s been some concern in Australia it’s taken nine months to get this meeting. Have you had any concerns with this administration? With its stance on Palestine, climate change or even things the Australian ambassador has said about you in the past?” a reporter asked.
TRUMP: “I don’t know anything about him. If he said bad, then maybe he’d like to apologise? Did an ambassador say something bad about me? Don’t tell me. I don’t want to know.
“Where is he? Is he still working for you?”
ALBANESE pointed to Rudd on the opposite side of the table, who said his comments – in which he also called Trump “a traitor to the West” – came before he was in his current position as Australia’s US envoy.
TRUMP: “I don’t like you either, and I probably never will”.
Trump on Albanese
Anthony Albanese received a warm welcome to the White House.Credit: Bloomberg
TRUMP: “It’s great to have the prime minister of Australia. [It’s] a fantastic place, got a lot of friends over there – and this is one of them right here.”
“He’s highly respected and did very well in his election. I hear you’re very popular … today. It varies from day to day.”
Trump on China and rare earths
Mates: Trump smiles at Albanese.Credit: Bloomberg
TRUMP: “I expect we’ll probably work out a very fair deal with President Xi of China.”
“They will threaten us with rare earths. I don’t think they’re threatening us too much right now, but they could do that. But I threaten them with something I think is much more powerful, and it’s tariffs.”
“In about a year from now, we’ll have so much critical mineral and rare earths that you won’t know what to do with them”.
Trump on AUKUS
Trump and Anthony Albanese meet in the Cabinet Room at the White House.Credit: Sipa USA
TRUMP: “We have the best submarines in the world, anywhere in the world, and we’re building a few more, currently under construction. And now we’re starting, we have it all set with Anthony. I think it’s really moving along very rapidly, very well.”
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