Albanese mentioned he spent almost three hours with Trump on Monday (Tuesday AEDT), together with a tour of the Oval Workplace and White Home grounds, and a personal assembly with the US president.
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He confirmed he requested Trump for aid from the so-called reciprocal tariffs – which Australia argues needs to be set at zero – however wouldn’t elaborate on what administration’s response. “We’ll proceed to have interaction,” he mentioned.
As a part of the go to, Australia gave the Trumps an official reward: a mannequin submarine for him, and jewelry for his spouse, First Woman Melania Trump. Later, Albanese met Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and had dinner with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the Australian ambassador’s residence.
Nevertheless, Rudd’s trade with Trump almost overshadowed the go to after the president was requested about Rudd’s previous tweets – made earlier than he turned ambassador – calling Trump a “damaging” determine and a “traitor to the West”.
“You mentioned dangerous? I don’t such as you both,” Trump informed Rudd to laughter. “And I in all probability by no means will.” Australian sources within the room mentioned Rudd later apologised for a second time and Trump assured him all was forgiven.
Again dwelling, the Coalition demanded Rudd be sacked, with Opposition Chief Sussan Ley calling his place “untenable”.
Anthony Albanese with Consultant Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat from New York on Tuesday.Credit score: Bloomberg
She blamed Rudd for the nine-month await a gathering between Trump and Albanese – although the 2 have spoken a number of instances by cellphone – and informed Sky Information: “When the ambassador is the punchline of the joke and the prime minister is definitely laughing at him, I feel that tells us all we have to know.”
Along with the BHP lunch, Albanese additionally praised Rudd to dozens of American senators and members of Congress at a high-powered breakfast perform with the Associates of Australia Caucus.
“If there’s a tougher working ambassador on the hill [Capitol Hill], then please let me know as a result of Kevin works his guts out, and he appears to know every part,” Albanese mentioned.
About 40 individuals attended the perform at Blair Home, together with the co-chairs of the Associates of Australia group, Republican congressman Michael McCaul and Democratic congressman Joe Courtney, and several other US senators from throughout the political aisle amongst about two dozen different lawmakers.
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McCaul made gentle of Rudd’s encounter with Trump. “I’m glad you’re nonetheless gainfully employed,” he joked.
Talking concerning the AUKUS pact, which is underpinned by laws in Congress, McCaul mentioned Rudd “was there each step of the best way”.
“We’ve no better ally and companion than Australia,” he mentioned. With weaponry made in Australia such because the Navy’s “Ghost Shark” autonomous underwater car, the 2 international locations had the flexibility to “flood the zone” within the Indo-Pacific, McCaul mentioned.
Rudd later accompanied Albanese to conferences on the US Congress, together with with Hakeem Jeffries, the chief of the Democrats within the Home of Representatives, and senior members of the Senate International Relations Committee, together with Republican committee chair Jim Risch and the highest Democrat on the committee, Jeanne Shaheen.
