Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared his high-profile first meeting with US President Donald Trump a major success, securing an $8.5 billion deal to boost investment in critical minerals and reaffirming support for AUKUS.
Speaking from Washington, Albanese told ABC News Breakfast that he and President Trump “got on very well” during their nearly three-hour meeting. “It was a terrific meeting and we got on very well,” the Prime Minister said.
“We signed an agreement that’ll result in $8.5 billion of investment — that means jobs in Australia, it means economic growth, it means more resilience.”
Albanese said the deal would see co-investment from Australian, Japanese, and American companies in projects such as Iluka and Alcoa.
“We’ll have investment within the next six months. This isn’t starting from scratch — we’ve built the framework and things are ready to go.”
President Trump’s optimism about the scale of future production, Albanese said, reflected “a sense of urgency” shared by both nations to strengthen supply chains and economic ties.
The Prime Minister also confirmed that AUKUS remains on track, with both sides discussing options to “fast-track” aspects of the trilateral defence partnership.
When asked about ongoing tariff tensions, Albanese said he raised the issue directly with the President. “Of course I did,” he said.
“I’ll always put the case for free and fair trade and for Australia’s interests to be advanced — but we do it respectfully and diplomatically. That’s how you get outcomes.”
The meeting was not without its lighter moments. When President Trump jokingly asked about Ambassador Kevin Rudd — who had previously criticised him — Albanese said it was “all in good humour”. “The President said to Kevin Rudd, ‘all is forgiven’,” the Prime Minister told Today.
“It was pretty light-hearted… Kevin’s doing a fantastic job and is well regarded here.”
Albanese brushed off opposition criticism over Rudd’s diplomatic role, accusing his opponents of “talking themselves into a story”. “They had a choice — back the national interest or play politics. They chose politics,” he told ABC News Breakfast.
“I’m focused on outcomes that deliver for Australians.”
On domestic matters, Albanese welcomed the news that regional airline Rex had secured a buyer, crediting his government’s intervention for keeping the carrier afloat. “Rex wouldn’t exist today were it not for the action of Minister Catherine King and my government,” he said.
“These are vital services for regional communities.”
The Prime Minister also extended an open invitation to President Trump to visit Australia — an idea the President reportedly responded to “very positively”. “He’s positive about Australians, he likes us, he engages with us, he knows how important the relationship is,” Albanese told Today. “We’ve been side by side for a long time, and the relationship is in great shape.”
Ending his whirlwind US visit, the Prime Minister reflected on the strength of personal diplomacy. “One of the things about Australians is we don’t talk down to people or talk up to people — we just treat people like people,” he said. “And President Trump enjoyed that conversation.”
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