Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has held a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump focused on expanding Australia–U.S. cooperation in critical minerals, trade and “shared security interests,” according to a statement from the PM’s office.
Mr Albanese described the discussion as “warm and constructive.”
The conversation — the leaders’ fourth call since Mr Trump’s return to the White House — comes as Canberra seeks to parlay Australia’s mineral endowments into deeper industrial and security links with Washington. Officials are also working to line up a face-to-face meeting when Mr Albanese travels to New York for the UN General Assembly later this month, though no meeting has been confirmed.
Australia is one of the world’s largest suppliers of lithium and rare earths used in batteries, defence and clean-tech. The Trump administration has elevated the issue in recent months — including moves to boost U.S. critical-minerals supply and reduce reliance on strategic competitors — while Canberra has flagged steps such as creating a strategic reserve to harden supply chains.
Diplomatically, the call follows Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles’ meetings in Washington with U.S. Vice-President JD Vance, underscoring continued engagement despite frictions over tariffs and the ongoing policy review of the AUKUS submarine program. Reuters reports the Trump administration has pressed allies, including Australia, to lift defence spending while reassessing AUKUS implementation.
Mr Albanese’s government has been positioning critical minerals as a pillar of Australia’s economic security and a lever in negotiations over U.S. trade measures. Australian outlets have reported that the strategy aims to secure tariff relief and accelerate joint investment in downstream processing.
Domestic commentary has zeroed in on the absence of an in-person leaders’ meeting to date, after an earlier plan to meet on the G7 sidelines fell through. The government maintains the relationship is “strong” and says a meeting will occur “when mutually convenient.”
Mr Albanese is expected in New York for the UNGA in mid-September, with officials attempting to convert the latest call into a bilateral meeting. In parallel, Canberra and Washington are likely to detail next steps on critical minerals collaboration, including financing, offtake and standards, as both governments try to speed secure supply chains for defence and clean-energy industries.
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